Watching the snow
by red eye witch
Summary: John is watching he snow when a new student comes by... takes place between X2 and X3, with a different ending in the X2. Warning will in futher capters contain Slash!
1. New student

_Disclamer; I don't own any of the materials that gave me the idea of this, the x-men still belongs to Marvel..._

_This story is not what I planned it to be. In a short way it holds a poetic John (Pyro), a possesive Bobby (Iceman), a clingy Rogue, a morning-nasty Professor (Xavier), a grumpy Logan (Wolverine) and, stuck in the middle of it all, Warren (Angel) who only wants to be a good friend..._

John stood at the window, glaring at the white fluff that seemed to cover absolutely everything outside. Man, he hated this. Not the winter itself, apart to what most people seemed to think. He guest it was because of his power they got these ideas all the time.

No, John was really fond of the winter, enough to be outside so long he got sick, so now he'd been forced to stay inside for three days. And already on his first day they had confiscated his lighter when he got too bored. Now he wondered if the professor would give it back if he asked for another danger-room season. That was desperate, since Logan was the only available teacher that could hold the lesson, but John knew that he had to do something to get rid of this burning feeling in his chest. It was as if a flame slowly covered his heart and would burn him up from the inside. He had quickly discovered that the only way that he could force the flame back was by using his powers. Creating small flame-balls during lessons was enough to keep it down until he had a chance to sneak outside during the break and do something bigger.

But now he couldn't do anything of it and the burning inside him was so painful it made him dig his nails into his palm. Damn it, Rogue maybe was right, these powers was more like a curse than a gift. He wondered if Magneto would have forced him through this if he had left with him that day at Alkali lake. Well, he would never find out now, would he?

He heard footsteps coming down the corridor, approaching the common room where he was. He wondered if he should go back to his room, he didn't want to talk to anybody right now. But thanks to his cold and lost lighter his head hurt whenever he moved so he stayed. Most students didn't talk to him anyway, they all thought of him as a badass since he always burned stuff. And if they didn't care to let him explain they weren't worth wasting time on.

When the person came in to the room John didn't even looked away from the window, if it was somebody he could call a friend he would let them make the first move.

"Excuse me", hmm, a new voice, John couldn't really place it. "Do you know where the library is? It seems as if I have lost myself." John slowly turned his head to look at the person who had spoken. It was a boy, a little older than himself, with blond hair. John guessed that it was a new student; he couldn't recall that he had seen the boy before.

Instead of answering the question, John put on an unfriendly frown;

"How come you aren't out skating with the others?" The boy didn't look like someone who would get detention on this first week, (like John had).

"Well, its snowing (no, really´; John thought) and when it melts on my wings, they get all soaked and it takes hours to get them dry without destroying the feathers." The boy said it all in one breath, it sounded like he had repeated it a lots of times.

"Wings?" John made clear with the tone of his voice that he thought the guy wasn't just a little weird. The boy just nodded and unfolded a pair of snow-white wings that was growing out from his back. So, John thought, this was the guy all the girls were giggling about on yesterday's lesson.

"Nice, can you fly with them?" John decided that the guy a least could get a chance, he didn't look like would judge John so swiftly.

"Yeah" the boy nodded, "but now it's a little too cold."

"You're wearing a sweater right now, why not a jacket?"

"A thick winter-jacket makes it difficult to move and I can't wear anything over the wings themselves…" The boy's voice trailed away and John didn't really care to bring him back to reality. Instead, he turned to look back out on the snow. He always liked to look at snow, and rain, as it was falling. If you could be outside to see it, it was even better. Thunderstorms beat them all though, nothing was more beautiful than the lightning and the rumbling voice of dark clouds. Storm didn't know it, but the main reason John loved to make her mad was because that would make the weather change into his favourites, not that he disliked her.

He never asked her, for two reasons. One; it would sound stupid, and Two; if she did it on purpose it was too controlled to have the true, wild spirit that to John was the heart of it all.

After a wile the other boy came up to stand next to him.

"So, why aren't you out with the others?"

"I'm too sick" John growled as he remembered why he was in here and not with the others. Bobby had promised to make sure the ice was thick enough over the whole lake out town so it would be enough space fore everyone. And when Beast heard about it he thought it would be a good idea to drag all the students out at the same time. So the only ones left was the professor, Logan, John and this boy, as John just discovered.

"So, what's your name?"

"Pyro."

"Is that a name?"

"It's my name." But as the boy continued to look wondering at him he added with a sight; "John. Yours?"

"Warren."

"And the other?"

"What other?"

"You're mutant-name."

"Angel." He blushed a little but smiled. "Why do you call yourself Pyro?"

"´Cause I am a Pyro" John grinned. "I control fire" he added when Warren seemed confused.

"So you're the one I heard about that blow up the micro?"

"I'm still convinced it was broken, it worked to slow." Warren laughed at this, and John couldn't help but smile himself. As Warren continued to watch the snow, John found his eyes drifting to the wings that now were neatly folded against the back of their owner. He slowly reached out a hand and stroked one of the feathers. It was soft, just like the snow it had borrowed their colour from; John thought. He then became aware of that Warren was watching him and raised his gaze to meet the other boy's.

"Sorry." John mumbled and turned to the window again, his hands resting on the windowsill.

"It's okay." Warren smiled softly at him. Both boys then jumped as a teasing voice reached their ears;

"Awww, how sweet, two little lovebirds, watching the snow." A grinning Logan leaned against the doorway.

"Yeah, so what? Jealous?" John sneered. He didn't like Logan at all, the man always told him of when he was playing with his lighter and it was to a big part Logans fault that he didn't have it right now. If it hadn't been for the Wolverine teasing him for being useless when he dropped the lighter during the danger-room season, John would probably not be so angry that he lost control over his flame-ball and burned one of Storms precious rosebushes. And now the stupid half-wolf thought that he would just calmly take whatever shit he would throw at him.

Talking with Warren had made him almost forget the burning feeling inside him, but now it all came back in a flash and John decided that Logan would be the perfect thing to get out some of this bad mood at. Then he noticed that Warren didn't look too happy about Logan either. John decided he liked the wing-mutant even more.

"Yeah, sure. Always wanted to have my bed full of feathers and burn holes." The grin never left Logans face.

"Like we ever would like to use that sweat-stinking pile of rags you've done God knows what with yourself in." John looked at Warren in surprise; he didn't expect the calm boy he'd just watched the snow with come up with such a replay. Obviously, Logan didn't either, for he looked quite surprised. John couldn't stop the smile that covered his face at the sight of the replay-less Wolverine. This made Logan growl like an animal;

"And what are you laughing at, kid?"

"You."

"Well, you better quit with it right now."

"Why?"

"´Cause you're going to be sorry of you don't."

"Why?"

"Do you honestly want to know?"

"Yeah, I want to see how far you willing to go. Or, rather when you start to get too scared of the professor for doing anything."

"Well, you're about to find out!" Logan growled and popped out his claws. John immediately knew he'd gone too far. Logan was an expert on causing pain but not too serious injuries. And now, when he was angry, he didn't care where the professor's lines went. The fact that he didn't like John in the first place didn't exactly help.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Johns arm and he was pulled back. Stumbling he hit the windowsill and was dragged over it, out through the window. But he didn't fall. The hand that had dragged him through still hold on to him and now another one grabbed his other arm to hold him steady. John looked up and saw Warren above him, wings flapping, holding them both in the air.

"Think he's too scared to follow?" Warren asked with a wicked grin. John laughed as he was carried around the mansion and put down on a balcony. By now both boys were shivering and John could feel his nose start to drip. Warren opened the door and walked into the room and John wondering followed. How come that the door was unlocked, it's in the middle of the winter´ he thought. When he looked around he saw that they were in one of the bedrooms.

"It's my room, I always keep the balcony-door unlocked just in case." Warren was digging trough a wardrobe and pulled out a thick sweater.

"You've had chats with Logan before?" John grinned at the boy, but then started to laugh when Warren put on an over-angelic face, fingering on the sweater and eyes moving quickly around, looking at anything but John;

"…..maybe….." but then the mask fell off, Warren unable to hold back the laugh John made bubble up from his throat. This only caused John to laugh ever harder, and soon both was sitting on the bed, unable to stand up anymore. As John leaned back against the wall he tried to catch his breath. But then Warren let out a whimering, falling back on the bed, holding his arms around his acing stomach. John giggled at him, and by accident breathed in too quickly through his nose, sounding like a bad imitation of a pig. This made both of the boys howl with laughter, and it took a while before they calmed down.

"You think it's safe to get out?" Warren suddenly asked. Before John could answer they both heard a voice in their heads.

"Can you both please come to my office? I'd like to have a little talk with you."

_I'm working on the next chapter but I won't bother to put it up if I don't get any response to this!_


	2. In the Dangerroom

_So, here is the next capter, sorry it's so short..._

John sighed, this was just perfect. Now he probably wouldn't have his lighter back for another week.

As they walked towards the office John noticed that Warren looked a bit worried.

"Don't worry; they won't throw you out or anything for this."

"It's not that. It's just, the first lesson I have on Monday is with Logan and he'll probably find out a good way to make me pay by then." Warren grimaced and John sniggered.

As they entered the professor's office they had a quite strange scene in front of them. Logan was sitting in chair in front of the desk, or rather half-lying in it. He was quietly laughing at something, he was still shaking. On his cheeks there were tears; obviously he was just starting to calm down and breathe like a normal person. On the other side of the desk sat the professor, his hand in his palm, snickering for some reason. When he looked up at the two boys he smiled.

"When I felt that happy spirit coming from you two I couldn't help but dig deeper into it. Then I made Logan feel it too and I must say, you two have truly made both our day brighter by sharing you're little moment with us." John and Warren just gaped at the two men in front of them. Was this all the professor called them both down to say?

"No, it isn't. John, I have something for you." And with that the professor reached out his palm. Lying in it was Johns lighter. The boy only hesitated a moment before he grabbed it.

"Thanks…" he mumbled quietly, he knew the professor could hear it in his mind, and he also knew the old man had heard him think that. But the professor only smiled at it.

"So you can show me you're power now?" Warren asked.

"Only if I can fly again, that was awesome." John grinned.

"That's a deal, then!" Warren grinned back. They both suddenly knew they could leave if the wanted so the walked towards the door.

"I would appreciate if you could stay in the danger-room; I really don't want to take your lighter back, John. I know the pain it cause you, but I don't know what else to do. I'm open for suggestions though." John nodded without really looking at the man. Before they closed the door they heard Logans voice;

"That was quite funny, could we do it again?"

"Only with their permissions Logan."

Outside, John hit Warren on the arm;

"First one to the danger-room!" before he started running.

"Hey, unfair, I don't know where it is!" Warren ran after him.

When they reached the danger-room, John was still in the lead, laughing again. They both leaned against the door to catch their breaths for a moment, but the John got inpatient and opened the door. He didn't care to start any simulating; he wanted to do it all free this time. While he flicked his lighter opened, he looked over his shoulder. Warren was a bit too close, so he asked him to stay back.

"I can take a lot more heat than others so you have to tell if I go too far, okay?" John said and Warren nodded.

Then John could finally let his mind flow into the flame. It immediately grew to the usual flame-ball. But John held it with his mind, making it bigger. He felt he flames in his heart riding on the threads of soul that he used to control the fire with and how the burning feeling floated out to join the growing inferno he held in the middle of the room. After making it big enough he let it take the form of a dragon that unfolded its wings and started to fly. It roared quietly and from its gap more flames burst out. This new flame surrounded the dragon, hiding it, until John let it break the top of the cocoon in the shape of a gigantic eagle. The bird soared up to the roof and then dived down towards John who held up his palms, stopping it and reforming it to a simple flame. Then, from the top of it, a thin thread of glowing fire begun to rise and then it unfolded its top, forming a flaming rose. Then the crown leafs broke of, circling in a no-existing wind in a spiral, some turning into butterflies. They soon died out when John turned to the big flame he held between his hands. He raised his arms over his head, the flame followed. Then it began to melt down all around, forming like a bubble around John. He then pierced the top and the hole spread itself until John was standing in a ring of fire. Then he made thin threads of fire rise from the ring, meeting above his head. Now he was standing in a birdcage of flames. From the top, new treads spread, circling and meeting again higher up. Inside this diamond-shaped net of flames a sun begin to shine. From the top of this sun-cage, even more strings burst out, rising and getting longer. Then finally their tips dropped down to the floor. Now the whole network of thin burning threads begun to move, each part circling in its own way. Then the tips of the bigger cage moved in to meat the tips of the cage John was standing in the middle of. When they met they formed a sort of heart-shaped leafs. Their tips rose from the floor, closing like a flowers crown in the night around the still circling sun-cage. Then it all melted together, reforming into a human, standing in the air. The human then unfolded a pair of wings and begun to rise. When it couldn't get higher it disappeared, John letting his arms finally fall down to his sides. How much he ever loved the fire, it always made him tired in his arms.

When Warren moved John jumped by surprise, he'd forgotten the other boy.

"That was…..it's…..I….." Warren shook his head. "No, I can't describe it."

"Thanks." John smiled, it was weird, but that was the best description he ever heard of his power-playing, he liked it. "You're actually the first one I've showed it for." He then admitted.

"What?! But that friend you have, Drake, hasn't he…?"

"No." John interrupted. "I asked him once to come and play with me; he used to freeze some of the forms. But then he had his new girlfriend, and he just said he didn't want to play more childish power-games, so I never asked again. That was before I could control it this good but it still hurts…" his voice trailed of, he didn't have anything more to say. He remembered the time Bobby had frozen a shell of ice around one of John's fire-balls in here and how they then watched how the light from the fire was parted into rainbows all over the walls.

Warren came up to his side, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe we should do the flying another day, you look tired." John nodded, grateful. Then they both headed back through the door towards their bedrooms.

_Now it won't be a new capter for a week, sorry (again). Hope you liked it..._


	3. How to write

_To be honest; I was hesitating a long time for posting this. In this chapter I'm going to bring out a side of Pyro that I honestly do think exist, but I'm at the same time convinced that not many will agree with me. _

_I mainly got the idea from the fact that people always seems to be suprised when I tell them I like to write, they're telling me that I'm not the kind of person to be expected to. So if I'm not, why not Pyro to? Because to me, Pyro is the kind of guy who wold do whatever he wanted, even if others would call it stupid, childish, boring, or whatever. _

* * *

As they arrived at the bedroom-floor they heard the noise of people talking, running, screaming, watching TV, playing games and using mutant powers. In other words; the other students were back. John wondered if he should go and find Bobby but decided not to. He would probably act the good boyfriend and spend all his time on Rogue as usual, and John had Warren to talk to. 

As they walked past the common room John had been standing in before they could see three markings on the wall, it looked like the innocent wallpaper had become the victim of Logans anger when he couldn't catch the boys he were after.

"Do you think the professor knows yet" Warren asked, poking at one of the scratches, getting his nail under the wallpaper and lifting it so that they could see how deep it was.

"Probably not" John sniggered for no reason and it made Warren smile.

"I'm quite happy we got out in time."

"Well, what do you expect, God send his Angel to rescue me!" Warren laughed at this.

"So, what are we going to do now?" he asked after a while.

"I don't know, weren't you heading for the library?"

Warren had to think for a while before he remembered how he first started to talk to John.

"Yeah, that's right." Warren laughed. "And if I remembered it right, you never showed me the way." Now John laughed too.

"That right. Well, off we go!"

In the library, the professor had made sure the students could find anything they wanted in book-way. If you couldn't find what you wanted, you could write down the book-title on a list at the wall and the professor would either help you to find a library that had it, or he would by it. The whole place was formed as a labyrinth, with shelves filled with books standing so that you couldn't really get lost, but you'd easy be alone if you wanted to.

Many students used the library regularly, and John was actually quite fond of it. But as soon as the teachers discovered this he had to swear on never even playing with his lighter in here. John slightly wondered how stupid they thought he was. In here the flame in his heart never grew, even if it didn't get smaller either. In here, especially in the old sofa in the corner, at the window, John could find all the peace you could ask for. It was hidden behind the bookshelves, and it was the perfect place to watch the sunset from. John usually had the place all to himself; the other students seemed to prefer the chairs and sofas in the middle of the room, or the ones at the fireplace. John had actually no idea why this sofa was here all alone, but he liked it.

When Warren disappeared behind the shelves John went to what you easily could call his place´. There he sat down, looking out through the window. It was still a few hours until the sun would start with its daily painting of the east part of the sky. John let the calm wave in over him as he sank deeper into the sofa. He was half asleep when Warren suddenly came around the corner. John smiled lazily at him, not moving a bit.

"Nice hiding-place you've got." The Angel commented.

"Mmmm…" was all John said. Warren sat down next to him and started to look trough the book, as if he was looking for something and not really interested in reading.

"What you've got there?" John asked, suddenly curious.

Warren looked up with a sad smile;

"I have as homework to write a poem, so I'm looking for inspiration."

"You're looking in books for that?"

"Where else should I look? I don't want to go outside, even if that would work better."

"No, but when I made that same homework, you got it from the professor right," Warren nodded, "I sat in here and just wrote down what I thought, and it turned out quite good."

Warren looked a bit disbelieving at him; "Do you use to write poetry?"

John shrugged; "When I feel for it, or get a good idea, otherwise, it's useless to try."

"You're not really the guy you'd expect to write."

"Yeah, I know, I usually don't tell people. Hell, I have no idea why I'm telling you, I hardly know you. But as I said, it only works when I'm getting a good idea and want to write it down."

"So you think you can help me?"

"I can try, but I don't know if everyone work the same way as I do."

"Just tell me how you get ideas." Warren pleaded.

John thought for a moment; "I honestly don't really know how I do. I only sit, thinking at something, try to find different ways of describing things, and when I get it in a good way I write that down." he tried to explain.

Warren nodded slowly, thinking about it. He then looked at the paper and the pen he had on the book in his lap.

"You think you could help me with the start?" He then asked. John smiled and took the paper and the pen. Then he sat for a moment, just looking out trough the window, thinking about something Warren might be able to write about, mainly because he liked it. He then began to write, while Warren looked over his shoulder. Then John gave the paper back to him and the Angel read trough it again. It was only a start, but it was really good. Warren tried something, crossed it out and wrote again. After a while John took the pen and wrote a bit, before he gave it back. And so it went on until it was done.

"Not bad." John said, taking the paper and reading trough it all in a mumbling voice;

**_The flying wind_**

_The wind start to fly,_

_Over land, trough the sky,_

_It's feeling the freedom it is._

_Make waves on the lake,_

_Make leaves start to shake,_

_Say farewell to the clouds with a kiss._

_It plays with the sun,_

_When time start to run,_

_It whisper its name in you're ear_

_A melody, its name,_

_And it's never the same,_

_It's a song that none can hear._

_A story untold,_

_A breath so cold,_

_Can't you hear it when it call?_

_It asks you to play,_

_But what do you say?_

_You do not answer at all._

_But it's used to this,_

_It is what it is,_

_When it's flying on angel-wing_

_When it fly with a bird,_

_It's one of the herd,_

_Together they both start to sing._

_To speak without voice,_

_It was its own choice,_

_To be able to be with the sky_

_It's the only rule,_

_It's freedom, its soul,_

_Guard when the wind starts to fly._

_The soul of a child,_

_So happy and wild,_

_It's dancing with the winter snow._

_It's free, it can fly,_

_And will never die,_

_And through the time it will never grow._

_An immortal young,_

_With a voiceless song,_

_Careless laughter, never to cry._

_Give it a chance,_

_Watch it dance,_

_A childlike angel, the wind will fly._

John then felt he wanted something warm to drink;

"Hey, do you want to go down to the kitchen and get a snack?"

Warren thought for a moment before he shrugged;

"Okay."

At the stair the walked into Rogue and Bobby, who was heading upstairs.

"Hi, John!" Rogue smiled and hugged him. After she'd got the cure she'd become really clingy; hugging, holding hands, giving high fives or just standing or sitting really close to anybody, as if she couldn't get enough. But all the other students were starting to get enough. John thought she acted like a sort of whore that you didn't have to pay. He would never say it out loud though; Logan would for sure kill him really slow if he found out, if he could chop him out from the iceberg Bobby would turn him into. Bobby still acted as if everything was fine between him and Rogue, despite the fact that she had been going out and making out with other guys, and everybody knew it.

"Who's you're friend?" Rogue said, looking at Warren. She did for sure already know who he was; she had been in the middle of the giggling girl-group in John's class. What made John a little surprised was the way Bobby looked at Warren; it was as if he disliked the angel-mutant. John hadn't seen him look like that on any other guy Rogue had been going out with.

"This is Warren, Warren, this is Bobby and Rogue." John drabbled on, wanting to get away from the weird atmosphere. Rogue happily shook Warrens hand and held it for a moment more than necessary. Bobby just nodded.

"So what are you guys going to do?" Rogue asked, ignoring John glaring at her.

"We were just going to the kitchens…" Warren started, but Rogue interrupted;

"Care if we join in?" Warren didn't answer immediately, but looked at John who shrugged.

"Okay, I guess." John sighed.

"Great!" Rogue smiled, but she was the only one. By now Warren too had noticed the weird look he was getting from Bobby and was obviously feeling uncomfortable. John was starting to get another headache, both from the cold and for using his powers a little too much, and Rogue wasn't exactly helping.

In the kitchen, Bobby immediately dived into the fridge and picked the biggest box of ice-cream he could find. Knowing he wouldn't share, Rogue picked a cola and had her boyfriend to cool it for her. John started to warm up milk for him and Warren, while the angel dug trough the cupboards, looking for the cacao. Finding it, he handed it to John who put some into the two cups he'd found. He then added some sugar and stirred it until it was mixed just like he wanted it, before he poured the perfect warm milk over it. John was known for being an expert at hot chocolate so when he handed Warren his cup and he tasted it, he got a pleasant surprise.

"Is it good?" John asked.

"Mmmm." Warren answered, never putting down his cup. Swallowing, he smiled;

"The best I've ever had. How did you do it?" He took another small sip, he wanted to taste it but at the same time have as much as possible left. John grinned happily at the comment. Nobody noticed that Bobby's frown ha deepened and that he dug his spoon forcefully into the half melted ice cream.

_

* * *

_

_Now, please, don't be angry if I happened to make Pyro look a bit odd. It's a fact that it helps to write down you're feelings if you want to get them out. Now I'm not talking about writing exactly what you think, just someting with the same feeling, the same point of wiew as you have at that moment. It's the way I survive in my world._

_The Poem used here is something I wrote myself, so I own it. It was, at the moment, something I usd to get less sentimental, before I did something I would regret._

_I also want to apologise to all the Rogue-lovers in the world, but as you can read; I'm not one of you._


	4. Arguing and rising power

_I hope I wont lose the tread of this story, it seems to be a long one._

_In this chapter you will find out parts of what has happened before Warren came, Wolverine get a true word thrown right into his face, and Pyro reach a new level of power._

* * *

Later, John waved Warren a goodnight and entered his and Bobby's bedroom only to find Bobby sitting on his bed, glaring at him.

"How long?" Bobby demanded to know.

"How long what?" John didn't get a thing.

"How long have you known that guy?"

"We just met today, why are you asking?"

"'Cause to me you looked a little closer than someone you've just met."

"Like you would ever notice if I talked to someone else, drooling over that use-to-be-mutant."

"Don't drag Rogue into this!"

"Why not? She's the reason it's impossible to be around you anymore. You've changed ever since she came here." Bobby looked like he didn't know what to say, but John did and he wanted to get it all out. "We used to be friends, Bobby. And even closer than that! But when you started to hang around with her, you didn't give a damn about me. Did you honestly expect me to always hang around you guys, pretending I enjoyed it? No way, Bobby! The only reason I didn't leave with Magneto is because you asked me not to. I thought we could go back to what we had. But I've been proved to be wrong. I never had any other friend that you, ´cause you were the only one that accepted me for who I was. But now I've found some else who can say they like me for who I am.

I don't want to listen to you two going on about how stupid, childish, show off, badass, irresponsible, irritating I am. I've had enough! But now, when I get a new friend you act like it's, I don't know, a bad thing. Now I wont be around to irritate you guys or get in you're way anymore, isn't that what you wanted?"

"No!" Bobby interrupted, almost screaming. "That's never what I wanted! How could you ever think that?!"

"Well, it's quite hard not to."

"I know. I've been a jerk, I know. But I don't want to lose you, ever. You were right about Rogue all the time. I guess I just wanted you to be jealous." Bobby tried to step closer but John backed away.

"Jealous´, the fuck Bobby. That's no excuse, you know it. I'd already told you I liked you, more than as a friend. Fuck, I even told you I love you, but you still kicked me away!" John was almost crying now. It was true; he and Bobby had been a couple, even a while after Rogue came into the picture. They actually never said right out they broke up, therefore it came as a chock for Bobby when John now was spending his time with another guy. John belonged to Bobby and none else! Nobody could ever love John as Bobby, and John had told him that he loved him back! Rogue was only something he could use to pretend he was normal (for a mutant). He'd never really liked her like that. He knew it was wrong but as it looked now, she didn't really care about him either. He'd told John he didn't really want Rogue so why was he doing this?

"John, please, don't… don't do this… Please, John, don't leave me!"

"Leave you´ Bobby? I don't think you get it. Warren and I are just friends! And I can't leave you, ´cause you're not here anymore. You left me the moment you got together with Rogue."

"But…"

"No but´, Bobby. I know I said I loved you, hell, maybe I still do, I'm not going to deny that, but that doesn't mean I trust you. Not anymore. I let you came closer than I've let anybody do for a long time, but to me, you only used it to hit me at a more sensitive spot. I've been hurt before, you know that, but that doesn't mean its okay to do it again for it hurt just as much every time. The only difference that come out of it is that it'll get harder for me to trust other people." John turned around to walk back out of the room when he heard a thud. He looked around to see Bobby sitting on the floor. He looked up at him with pleading eyes where tears hung from his eyelashes;

"John… please… I… I can't… don't, John, please… I'll…" John didn't stay to hear the rest. He didn't slam the door, just closed it quietly and slowly walked away.

In the room, Bobby stayed on the floor. It felt as if he had frozen himself from the inside. Then the pain hit him. All he could do was to hold himself and try not to cry. He didn't mean it to go this far, but the days only seemed to pass by and time went on without him realising it.

He felt as if an invisible hand had a hard grasp around his heart and at the same time made it hard to breathe. In the back of his mind John's voice repeated what he had said. Then another voice appeared the voice of an old man.

"He's been hurt; it won't be easy to earn his trust. But he hasn't been damaged like others; he won't judge us at first appearance. And at the same time he might be completely destroyed, his mind is dark and he thinks that he is alone. He learned the lesson well. But he is strong. If you get his trust you shouldn't let him down." Magnetos face came up to the surface of Bobby's mind for a moment. Now it felt as if his heart just had disappeared, leaving an empty hole in him. Bobby almost felt as if he was going to throw up. John had trusted him and let his defences down so far he even could allow himself to openly love Bobby, and what had he gotten back? Bobby slowly got up and walked back to John's bed. There he lay down and hugged one of the pillows, it smelled just like love. Crying himself to sleep, Bobby finally found relief form the pain when John in his dreams came back to him and Rogue was gone.

* * *

John slowly walked around in the mansion, not caring about where he was. He felt as if he was all empty, his body walking without his control. If he hadn't been so angry he might have taken Bobby's offering to go back. Now he knew that that bridge was burned; now he never could go back.

When he finally looked up he spotted a window. He walked up to it and opened it. He reached out his hand to see if any snow would hit it, but all he got was a cold, empty wind. With a sight he closed the window and leaned his forehead against it.

He didn't know how long he stood there before the footsteps came once again. This time John knew who it was; Logan always patrolled the corridors when he couldn't sleep again after his nightmares. John tried to sneak away, but the high sentences of the Wolverine weren't falling for it. Soon the man stood if front of him, glaring as usual. John didn't even try to fight him, but stared at the floor.

"What are you up to?" Logan growled.

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?"

"No, I wouldn't."

"Then why do you ask?"

"Now you listen, you little tight-assed jerk. I'm not going to play you're little games; I'm not into that stuff. And I don't care what bloody reason you might have to be here, I only ask because I have to."

"Have to´? Nobody ever asked you to stay here, even less do anything you can call work! The only reason you do it is because it makes you feel important, you don't want to face how useless you truly are."

"You bloody little…"

"See! Now you're at me for destroying you're little fantasy-world! Get it, you're not different from anybody else, nether am I. All we do, we do because we can win on it. You only want to see that you're better than anybody else, and what could be a better place for that than a school, where people haven't learned everything yet?"

"Shut the fuck up, you little ass-licking worm! I would strangle you if I didn't know you deserve to live in the little hell you've created for yourself!

You're talking about being useless, well I suppose you recognise your own kind. I have no idea why Magneto ever showed any interest in you; guess he wanted someone who was stupid enough to follow orders without question. You say I'm an ego; well I at least do something more than destroying things for people who are trying to help me! Do you honestly expect everybody to keep on trying to get to you forever? ´Cause when people are as ungrateful as you are, you give up. Soon you'll have to do it on your own, when nobody wants to have you around anymore."

"Shut up! Just shut the fuck up! You don't get anything so don't even try!" By now John was screaming and he felt that not only the fire in his heart was growing by his anger; now his whole mind was like a roaring inferno. The air around the boy was getting warm, even though John hadn't touched his lighter.

John suddenly got an idea. If he'd been completely awake he'd think it was stupid and never tried, but he was tired, sick, angry and confused, willing to do anything he could to get away from what was bothering him, so he did it. He let his mind out like he did when he used his powers, but instead he grabbed on the warm air. He concentrated it to a small ball like he used to do with the flames. Then he let it wander out towards the other mutant in front of him. Logan let out a surprised gasp when his clothes started to smoke. John continued, getting closer to the result he wanted. Then he realised what he did wrong. He concentrated on the fire inside of him, the smoke in Logan's clothes fading, and the man turned towards the boy. Surprisingly, John hadn't moved a bit. Instead he stood with his eyes closed, looking concentrated.

John had gone inside of himself completely and took hold of the flames in there. He then dragged them out, outside his mind, and send them flying towards the other mutant. Logan screamed in pain as fire appeared out of thin air and surrounded him, burning.

People woke up and started looking through the corridors for the source. The first one who found it gave, unknowingly, the professor a quite good idea what was going on. He quickly send a message to everybody to go back to their rooms, and then he set of towards the chaos of thoughts and emotions he could feel at the centre of the problem. When he arrived, only five people were there. Getting closer he recognised Logan lying on the floor, still healing the burning-wounds that covered his whole body. On her knees next to him was Rogue, and standing beside was John, Warren and Bobby. John was still catching his breath and at the same time trying to explain to Warren who was holding him up on his shaking legs.

Xavier waited until Logan sat up and John had calmed down before he sent Rogue, Bobby and Warren back to their rooms, deciding that it would be better to talk in the morning.

He then asked Logan if he could walk and the three of them were off towards the office.

_

* * *

_

_So, now it's going to take a while before next part shows up, but I'll try to put it up as fast as I can._

_Please, don't hate me if I made your favorite-mutant look bad, they just are who they are in my story, I can't change that._


	5. Reasons, memories and sleepover

_Sorry if it takes too long time between the chapter, but school-work takes too much out of me. I'll try to keep it updated as much as I can, but I don't promise anything..._

* * *

Arriving at the office, the professor opened the door and wheeled inside. He gestured to Logan and John to sit down in the chairs in front of his desk while he placed himself behind it. He then studied the two of them quietly for a while. Then he gave up a deep sigh.

"I honestly have no idea where to start with this" he said looking in the air between them.

"I know what happened from both of you're point of view, but that doesn't explain…" his voice died.

"You could start with asking the kid how he did it, and what the hell he _did_ do." Logan said. For that he earned a stern look from the professor and a death glare from John.

"Logan, if I thought it would help I would give you detention." Logan looked like didn't know weightier to laugh like a maniac or growl a long list of words no child in the world should use. But before he could do any of it, the professor continued;

"But I honestly don't expect it to work. So instead you will clean the Blackbird twice a week alone for two months." Logan gaped at him, even John thought it was a bit hard.

"I don't take it easy on those who threat my students." The professor added with a bit of an evil smirk.

'Who said an old man can't have a bad mood when you wake him in the middle of the night' John then heard someone mutter in his head.

"Now, would you be so kind to leave, I'd like to speak with John between two eyes." This left Logan with nothing more to say, so he did as asked; stood up and left.

"So, John, I understand that you're still confused so I'll explain this as well as I can;

It seems to me as you are on the line between the class 4 and class 5 on the mutant power scale, and it obviously comes out as the most in a high emotional moment, just like when it first started. Now that I've seen the memories from both of you I can only make the conclusion that when you finally get to the highest stage, you'll be able to create the fire on top of controlling it. I can't tell you how you did it though, you were so confused and an emotional blur at the moment it happened so impossible to get a clear reading. Only you can find out how to use you're gift.

This, though, means not that you will be able to throw you're lighter away the next danger-room season. It's going to take time and training to get so high, but we now know it is possible. It's you're choice how hard work you want to put into this." The professor got quiet to watch John's reaction. John though, didn't really felt for answering, he wasn't sure of what to say. The professor seemed to understand.

"You can leave for bed if you want; we can talk in the morning or whenever you feel for it." John just nodded and slowly stood. Thinking through what he just had heard, he walked out of the office, leaving the professor inside. He then stared where he was before the Wolverine had interrupt, walking through the mansion without a goal. He didn't want to go back to his and Bobby's bedroom, where the other boy probably waited for him. Usually when John got into trouble, Bobby was always there for him, freezing the fire before it destroyed something, standing behind him in an argument or just being there to hold him whenever he needed comfort.

John's back hit the wall with a thud and he slid down until he was sitting on the floor, his head on his knees. God, he missed having someone to hug. Or to hug him. But that was all lost now, he couldn't turn back, he told himself. The empty hole Bobby had left was even bigger now, the flame in his heart was gone; it had all been used on Logan. John hugged himself, trying to get smaller so he could pretend he didn't exist. The first tears started to slip trough his closed eyelids and he bit his lip trying to hold them back. It didn't work. Soon he was sitting there in the empty corridor, trying to find comfort in a cold wall and in the shadows. In his mind, a shell of stone surrounded him, blocking him from the rest of the world, hiding the real him so that none could see him for who he was. What did it matter that the whole building was full of people, nobody wanted him, nobody cared if he sat there until the morning, when he'd be told of for playing with his lighter or not knowing the right answers in class, for not pretending to be someone he wasn't.

John suddenly found himself thinking about the dog he'd known for the short period he lived on the street. It had been a big dog, John never gave him a name, just called him pal. Every night he'd fallen asleep with the dog next to him. Pal had taken care and protected him, too much in the end. After "stealing" someone's precious garbage, they got the police after them. The bullet had been meant for John, but Pal had been the one to pay the price. He died later that night in the arms of his only friend and left a world that had never cared. The lump in John's throat grew even bigger at the thought of the friend who'd given so much and that would never be there again. And people wondered why he'd freaked out when that police shot Logan at the Drakes. It was then that he'd taken revenge for his murdered friend. John felt the tears slow down as the whole inside of him grew dark. He felt his mind getting cold and uncaring, just as he'd learned himself was the safest way of not getting hurt by anybody. He concentrated on forcing his feelings back into a place inside him where he could lock them in and get away from them. He used his sleeve to get rid of the tears on his cheeks. 'This is stupid, you're stupid!' he told himself. 'Crying doesn't do any good at all; it doesn't even ease the pain so you can as well quit acting like a child. Grow up you useless little fool…'

Suddenly, there was a knocking on the window. John looked up to see a big white bird flying right outside, looking in at him. No, not a bird; Warren! John quickly got up and opened the window so that the other boy could climb in. Then he closed it as fast as he could, it was getting colder quickly now. For a moment the both mutants just looked at each other.

"How…" John then begun.

"I don't know, just knew you were here and needed someone." Warren looked a little surprised himself, but John knew better.

"The professor." He muttered. Warren didn't smile either; he probably thought the old man was getting a little too deep into his mind.

"How come you didn't walk back to you're room? It is pretty late." The Angel then pointed out.

"I don't want to go back." John simply stated. He knew this wasn't helping Warren so he, though he didn't liked it, continued.

"I argued with Bobby, sort of. I can't go back. Not now." He said, not looking at the other boy. This, though, seemed to be enough for Warren, who apparently thought that privacy was important.

"Well, if that's it, why don't you come and sleep I my room?" he asked. John looked up at him.

"I didn't see any extra bed when I was in you're room?" It was both a statement and a question.

"No, but I've found an extra mattress in the wardrobe if you don't mind sleeping on the floor…"

"Not at all, it's really nice of you." John interrupted, but Warren just smiled.

They walked in silence, both in their own thoughts. In Warren's room they found the mattress and a pair of blankets. There weren't any pillows, but Warren took one from the bed and threw at John.

"Don't drool on it." That simple comment eased up a lot of the tense feelings in the room.

John sat down on the mattress and put the blankets around himself; drinking in the warmth. Warren sat down on his bed and started fingering his cover.

"I know that it's none of my business," John looked up when Warren started to talk. "but is it my fault you started to argue? I mean, I saw the way he looked at me earlier."

John sighed. "Yeah, it is, kind of." Warren looked down. "I'm sorry" he said so quiet John almost didn't hear it.

"Don't. It's not you're fault and you know it!" John almost sounded angry but Warren still smiled at him. John then started to look worried and opened his mouth to continue, but the Angel stopped him.

"You don't have to tell me everything; I know we don't know each other that well."

"No, it's not that that's the problem. I've already let you come closer than I've let anybody for a long time. Not since Bobby… I've honestly no idea why… It's just, I don't know what to say, it's so much…"

"Maybe we should talk in the morning, you really need to sleep, anybody can see that. And it's Sunday tomorrow, so we have loads of time." Warren smiled weakly at him and John gave him a relived smile back. Weird how much he smiled this day he thought while he crawled deep down under the blankets. He fell asleep in seconds, having a few half-bad dreams that he didn't remember in the morning.

* * *

_Please, tell me what you think. I really don't know if anyone is reading this, so I'm starting to wonder if I should bother to update... Just something that proves that someone's been here, please?_


	6. Talking after breakfast

_In this chapter there will be most talking and remembering, hope you don't mind..._

* * *

John woke up from the noise of someone opening a door and then close it, but he didn't open his eyes. He just laid there under the warm pile of blankets, listening to the morning-sounds in the mansion. Nobody talked loud at this time of the day; everybody respected those like John who wanted to sleep. It was worse for people like Piotr, who wanted to go to bed early.

For an half hour or so John stayed in his little nest, snoozing, before he dragged the blankets of his head. Warren had been kind enough to leave the curtains closed, and the whole room was filled with a dim light that was prefect for someone who had just woken up. John rolled the blankets tightly around himself, not because he was freezing, but because it made him feel safer. He then began to go through what had happened the day before. It was clear to him that Warren had become a really close friend to him, in only a day he knew John better that Bobby did for the moment. But Bobby had been just the same in the beginning, everything just slipped out of John before he could think of it. And it had turned out good, Warren was a wonderful, caring and respecting person, just the friend John needed. Just the way you had to be to get close to him and truly understand him.

Then he went on to the time in the danger-room and the library. And after that, the kitchen. He tried to remember if Bobby had been acting different, but he'd been so quiet, John had concentrated on talking with Warren. Then, the argument. By now John had blocked in his feelings so well he just felt empty at the thought of it. How much he disliked it, he forced himself to go through it all. Afterwards he felt sick. The walking in the corridor and burning Logan was all blurry, he'd no idea what had happened, what exactly he'd done or why. But done was done, he told himself. All he could do now was facing the consequences.

Suddenly the door opened and Warren walked in with a glass of juice and a napkin with something in.

"Morning!" he smiled. "You just missed breakfast so I brought you this." He put the glass on the floor beside John and gave him the napkin. Inside it was two toasted sandwiches, still warm, with half-melted cheese on.

"Rogue said you wanted them that way." Warren told him.

"Thanks." Was all John said before eating all of it as fast as he could, he was starving. Even if two sandwiches weren't that much, he felt a lot better when he was done.

"What time is it?" he asked looking around for a watch.

"Half past nine, when I left the kitchen." Warren said. John still felt a little tired, but when he was awake he was awake, so he didn't have a thought of going back to sleep, he knew he wouldn't be able to.

"The professor talked to us before. About what you did with Logan." Warren suddenly said.

"He told everybody?" John asked, wondering if that would kill the rumours that probably already circulated, or if it would make them worse. Being ignored was after all better than being whispered after or glared at.

"No, only Rogue, Bobby and me." Warren waited to see if John would ask anything more, but when he didn't, he continued;

"He said that you're getting to class 5, or something like that and will be able to create the fire then. He also said that you wouldn't be punished for what happened." John just nodded.

"He also asked me to tell you that if you want to have a room for yourself, there is one available."

"Really." John was surprised. This sort of offering wasn't usual, extra rooms were for potential new students. But then he got it. The professor probably knew about the tension between him and Bobby and he didn't want another class 5 emotionally crush-down Pyro-accident. John thought about it for a while. "Did he say when I could move?"

"Whenever you want." Warren looked at him from the bed. "Are you going to?" John nodded. "I can't stay there." He simply stated.

"I can help you move you're stuff if you want." Warren offered suddenly.

"Thanks." John mumbled, thinking. Then he decided, he had to tell Warren. Not all details, but about him and Bobby. He couldn't let his new friend being stuck in the middle of this without knowing a thing. John let out a deep sigh.

"You know, about me and Bobby?"

"Mhm?"

"Before I start, I have to ask; are you a homophobe?"

"No…" Warren looked surprised.

"Good, thanks. Now, me and Bobby, we were, kind of, a couple a while ago…"

"Wait a minute, you're gay?" Now Warren looked really surprised.

"Umm, yeah, I am." John moved uncomfortable, he'd no idea what Warren was thinking until;

"You know, you don't look like a gay at all." It almost sounded like it had come from a kid.

"You're not going to throw me out or anything?" John asked, surprised and hopeful.

"No, why would I do that?" Warren laughed a little. "Told you I'm not a homophobe. I'm bi myself, if you admit, I can."

"Oh." Was all John could say. He'd lost himself completely. But Warren helped him;

"So you and Iceman were going out?"

"Yeah…"

"For how long?" Warren was a bit worried he'd ask too much, but John answered him like he just wanted to get it out.

"Fore about a year actually."

"Wow, that's long."

"Yeah, I know."

"What happened?"

"Rogue came."

"And he just dumped you? For a girl he couldn't even touch?" Warren had got the whole Life-story of the Rogue at breakfast from none other than Rogue herself.

"Not immediately, he said he'd just use her as a cover. Since he couldn't touch her nobody would notice he didn't want to."

"You know, that was quite evil against both of you." Warren was starting to get a pretty bad picture of the ice- mutant.

"Yeah, but I didn't exactly stop him either. Anyway, we were kind of a couple even a while after Rogue came. But then he started to act different. I don't really know why, but I suppose it was then we started all this fighting. By now I'm sure I mean nothing to him, I was just a funny toy." John stopped to take a deep breath to calm himself. "I suppose that it was the fact that we never actually told each other we didn't want to be together that made him believe we'd continue as before." John really tried to see it from Bobby's point of view, and he could almost understand parts of the mutant's actions.

"So he still believed you were together when we were hanging out yesterday?"

"Yeah, suppose he got into his mind that I was cheating on him." John smiled the coldest and unhappiest smile Warren had ever seen.

"And then you argued because of it…" Warren sight.

"…and I told him everything I felt all this time." John ended sadly.

"Just wonder…" Warren begun and John looked up at him. "…do you still like him?"

"I don't know. If we can go back to what we were before it would be great, but I don't think I'll ever be able to trust him like that again. But I do miss him, I know that."

"'Cause I was thinking…" Warren got quiet for a while. "The reason he was acting like that was because he really loved you…"

"So?"

"No, that's stupid. I thought, maybe you could get him jealous so he could get it all clear to himself, but that would make you a bit too much like him…"

"Yeah, I know how that feels…"

Warren stood up and pulled aside the curtains, John groaned as the sun and its snow-reflected light filled the room. Warren looked at him over his shoulder;

"Sorry." He looked out through the window for a while. "Drake is outside, and it doesn't look like he's going in for a while, if you want to grab your stuff…"

John stood up and walked over to the window as well. Just as Warren said; Bobby was walking around in the garden, being able to walk on the snow when he froze it solid before stepping on it. He almost looked like he was searching for someone out there…

John took a step back, he didn't want to look anymore; it hurt not to be out there, throwing snowballs, joking, running around like a kid; just having a good time with someone you liked. Without him wanting it, John's thoughts wandered back to the last winter before Rouge; John had talked Bobby over to get down to the lake in the middle of the night to teach him skating. That resulted in the worst cold John ever had; he had to stay in his bed for two weeks. And all the time Bobby was there, giving him all he could ask for, only leaving his side to get meals, as he ate on their room as well. He got well just in time for Christmas, which he spent in a fuzzy happiness wrapped in beautiful wrapping-paper and ribbons in green and red. (As a joke John had given Bobby a mistletoe, lying on at least a months ripped newspapers in a gigantic box, mainly made for the TV now placed in one of the common rooms.)

John suddenly looked up to see that Warren was looking at him with a quite concerned look, and John realised that he'd crossed his arms and now was digging his nails into his own skin, each of them leaving red line on his upper arm. John just sighed and loosened his grip, then nodded and walked to the door. It only took a split second for Warren to realise what he meant and to follow.

* * *

_So, do you like the story? Please let me know! Just a few words for me to know there's still someone out there who have som time to waste like me!_


	7. Flying? Finally!

_A big thanks to all of you who has made a coment, I'm realy grateful!_

_Now John finally get what he wanted from the Angel..._

* * *

In his old room, John used the basket meant for washing-clothes to carry his clothes in and his bedcovers for the rest of his stuff. Nothing he owned was especially fragile, so there was no reason to be afraid he'd smash anything. 

With the help form Warren he only had to take one turn, even if he'd lived at the mansion for quite some time he didn't have that much stuff, he knew he'd grew tired on it after a while, and he didn't enjoy the thought of asking the professor for money he'd spend on something he wouldn't even use. John didn't know why, but it felt like he'd play on the mans good will if he did.

Arriving at the new room (John hadn't asked Warren where it was, he suddenly knew himself) he dumped it on the only bed, dug out some new clothes and locked himself in the bathroom to dress. When he came out again Warren was at the window once again. John looked over his shoulder to see what it was out there that was so interesting. But all he could see was some of the younger kids gadding themselves up in a snowball fight against three of the elder students, which were now having a hard time defending themselves. This was nothing new and therefore not interesting, so John tried to follow Warrens gaze to see where it was going. To John's surprise, the Angel was looking out over the landscape outside the garden.

Then Warren turned his head and gave John a little sad smile before turning back to the room;

"Shouldn't we get your stuff of the bed so you'll be able to sleep in it?"

John looked at the bed, and the pile of his belongings on it.

"Won't that be like cleaning?" John looked at Warren with sad, pleading eyes. "'Cause that's boring."

Warren laughed. "Well, then it isn't cleaning!"

John gave him the happiest, most childish smile he could manage "Okay, then!"

But when they had come as far as putting all the clothes in the wardrobe, Warren too was bored with it.

"Why do you keep looking at the window all the time?" John couldn't help asking when Warrens gaze wandered away from what he was doing for the ninth time that quarter. The Angel blinked in surprise, like he didn't realise he was doing it. He the gave John a sad smile;

"I just wanted to get out flying again, I've been locked up for the most of my life and now, when I'm finally at a place I can do it whenever I want to, it's too cold!"

John smiled and the remembered something;

"That's right; you owe me for showing you my powers! We can get down and fly in the Danger-room!"

"But what if there's someone there…?"

"None in their right mind would sign up for a Danger-room season on a Sunday!"

Warren sniggered and John gave him a raised eyebrow;

"So if none in their right mind would go there today, it means we two are nuts?"

John grinned;

"Exactly!"

It turned out John was right; the Danger-room was completely empty. Warren looked around in the big empty room which hadn't changed one bit since John had his burning-season.

"It won't be the same as flying outside…" he mumbled, a bit disappointed. But John seemed to want to get as much as he could out of this, so he gave Warren a sign to follow him, and then he went into the control-room. John didn't know if the Professor was aware of that he could do this sort of things in here, but he didn't really care. After fussing around with the stimulation a bit John got exactly what he wanted, and he tuned it on.

When he and Warren went back into the Danger-room it didn't look like a training-area at all, more like an enormous park, without any people walking around. Trees gave some shadow here and there; otherwise it was all covered in the warming sunlight. John got an idea and took of his shoes and socks, when Warren looked at him he just said;

"I just felt for it, it's kind of nice." Warren just shrugged and took of his own shoes. Then he smiled and walked around for a bit. Now it was John's turn to stare at the other mutant. Warren gave him a bitter smile;

"Because of my mutation my father kept me inside all the time, so none could find out what I was. This is the first time I try this."

John just stared at him;

"Have you been inside for you're whole life?!"

Warren shook his head;

"No, only after I started to grow wings, around 12."

"It's still an awful long time!"

Warren just shrugged, as if saying 'What can I do about it now?'. John let it drop, since he could see that his friend didn't like the subject. He walked around for a bit, before he noticed that Warren wasn't there anymore. He looked around before he remembered the boy's mutation and looked up. There he could see Warren, and he had to admit that he'd chosen a perfect mutant-name.

Then a smile spread itself over his face and he lifted his arms above his head;

"Cheat! You said I could come to!"

Johns scream made the Angel turn in the air in a very graceful way and soar back at his new friend. John saw this and started to run towards a more open place where it would be easier for the other mutant to pick him up.

Out on the treeless part of the "park", John continued running, just for the feeling, before a pair of hands grabbed him under his arms and he felt his feats leave the ground. Warren got him up in the air and then dived down in a sort of way, so that he got Johns arm around his neck; it was the best way he could figure out to carry anyone, and it worked quite well. The extra weight slowed him down a bit, but he could take it.

John stared down at the ground below, he felt as if a strange sort of light gas filled his inside, making him almost weightless. It swelled as a bubble inside him, pushing his lungs aside but not making it hard to breathe. It was wonderful! John knew he was grinning like an idiot, his face actually started to ache, but he couldn't help it.

Warren couldn't help but laugh quietly at the other boy when he made a face like that. The Angel understood exactly what the other boy felt; it didn't seemed to matter how many times he used his wings, he always got that feeling that he really couldn't describe, but that made it a bit easier to understand why people used drugs. If that rush they were talking about only was half as good as this he knew that it was worth every struggle they got through. Because nothing was as good as this; being free today meant that you could take more than three steps before a wall without a door stopped you, so that wasn't it. Being happy meant that you had found a way of not thinking about the way other people around you felt it, that you was so winded up in yourself that you failed to notice others pain and feel it with them. Having a good life meant that you had enough of small peaces of metal and paper to get things that you didn't needed, only to make others want the same.

This wasn't about being free, happy, nor having a good time. It was the feeling of the pure bliss you find when you let go of all things that hold you to the world, when you push away all moral, ethic, behaviour and worries and allow yourself to be who you are and use that to get somewhere. To get wherever you want to be, without people judge you for it, telling you that you are a freak because you can, whispering behind your back about why you shouldn't. This was the bliss you feel when you find something you can do that you love to do, and truly do it.

Neither John or Warren understood it, but the feeling they got wasn't that far from the one you get when you open yourself completely, all the way into the soul, and still are loved, accepted, cared for, knowing that you belonged somewhere. Because both of them had maybe felt like that once, but now they had lost it due that cause of others. They didn't belong, they were locked up, maybe they were loved, but they didn't know, they had stopped believe it.

Now they had found someone else who was like themselves, someone who was lost, lonely; an outsider that hadn't bowed himself to the crowd that had taken away everything they lived for.

Maybe you'd need to be blind to see the way they fitted for each other, for to see that you had to look beyond faces, clothes, pasts, and powers. You had to see who they truly were; see their souls and how the world had shaped them. Because then you'd see how they could accept each other for whom they were, how they could help each other to stay free, how they could give each other a place where they belonged, were loved and where they would be happy to stay.

Together they could save the other from fading away and become a part of the endless crowd that pass through our lives in a grey blur. Only the small things that one of them didn't judged the other on a rumour, on a word form another, might have been the thing that would save them both. The small thing that one of them dared to stop on his way to face someone in the grey blur, to step forward to let that someone become more than a part of the mass, might been all it had to take to save both of their lives.

Because the only way to save the humanity, and the mutants, is to scan the crowd, look carefully, see the faces, and see persons just as yourself and not just something that was created to stay in the background. It was this that Xavier truly tried to teach his students; that they had to open their eyes outdoors, not just to look at what you had in front of you, at how it looked, but also at what it was, how it worked, what was behind it, and if there was a way you could help it walk a bit faster to its goal.

It was because of this that the X-men didn't kill their opponents if they could avoid it; because they had learned the lesson it took to see what way you had go walk if you wanted to reach your goal and find it being just what you imagined it to be.

It was because of this Magneto was fighting his way through life; because he had closed his mind in fear of being hurt again, and there hadn't been anyone like him there to care the way he needed, none had understood who he was, none had tried to look past that face he made towards the world to fool the ones who made weak attempts to pretend to be strong enough, brave enough, to help others. By the time he met Xavier he was so broken that all the other mutant could to was trying to stop the bleeding, trying to close the wounds in his soul the grey blur unknowingly had caused him. Because there is a limit of how hurt you can get before you let go without wanting it, before you sink down, exhausted and so sore that you can't get up without anyone to help. If you don't get up by then you make yourself as comfortable as you can get and stay down just for the safety of the feeling in not being able to fall anymore.

Now the broken soul Magneto is, was determinate to force the grey blur away so that it couldn't hurt him or anyone else again, not realising that doing so would make him alone, not seeing that to others he was a part of the grey, never being told he was a part of the others. Because he had forgot that it was something like belonging, something like love, somewhere that he to could be safe. Because against him the grey blur had made its biggest mistake, but not the only and not the last; this time it had again let it all go too far, it had hurt too much when it tried to stop him from struggling, it had forced too much when it wanted to close the cage. So now it had to once again face, but not learn, what could happened if not another part of grey steps out to create a link to the bigger mass, to show that all is a part of the grey, that when your in it is all colour.

As an Angel and a Pyro at last tumble to the ground in a not too graceful landing, laughing and cheering, nothing of this pass through their minds.

* * *

_I know that I propably won't have that many left to rad this after that sort of ending in a chapter, but a big thanks to those of you who is still here._

_To explain myself; I really tried to find a reason why everyone in the series act the way they do, you don do anything without a reason, even if it's so simple that you "just felt for it". So to put it all together I started to think of this and it fitts all of them, it explains so much. _

_Because honestly; does anyone really think there is something like pure evil? I don't. I think that people do what they think is right, then (in this case) you just happened to see it all from another point of viev. If all this was shown with Magneto as main-character you'd propably think that the x-men was the bad guys..._


	8. A new friend, and a fight

_Now I have a question to all of you who like the story so far; Do you want the version of John going back to Bobby, or do you want it to take another turn? I suffer a little bit of lack of inspiration, so please give me a few ideas._

_Now on with the story...;_

* * *

When John at last tried to stand he was so exhausted form the excitement, the laughing and the small wrestling the "landing" had turned into, he had to sit back down again. Warren, who still was on his back, laughed;

"You look like you're drunk!"

John couldn't stop himself from laughing either, and why should he, he wanted to! To be honest, John couldn't really tell when he'd been this happy the last time, or when he'd laughed this much in this short amount of time. He was sure it had been with Bobby, but now when he thought about it, he'd seemed to have spend every woken hour (and in the end even some sleeping) with his friend. If he would allow it, memories of Bobby would bubble up to the surface wherever he went in this building; now it looked like they had been everywhere, done everything, and now it all was gone. John wondered if Bobby had it the same way; having the memories after him wherever he went, almost hearing his own voice joking, laughing, shouting, revealing that its owner had the best time in his life.

Warren's voice broke the thread of thoughts that was spinning itself in Johns mind;

"Um, John? What are you doing?"

John looked around, bewildered, before he saw that Warren was looking at his hands, so he to looked down. While thinking, it seemed as John had grabbed a fistful of grass and pulled it up. Now he was holding it tightly in his hand, so tight that his knuckles turned white. But that was not what Warren had meant, what had worried him was that the grass was smoking and most of it was entire black, some of it still glowing, but most of it had turned to aches. John held out his hand and opened it. Since it wasn't blowing all the aches stayed in his hand. While studying it, John tried some different sorts of concentration to make the last of it burn, but it didn't work. In the end he just tilted his hand a bit and let the ach fall of in a small thread. He brushed of the last with his other hand and stood up, offering a hand to Warren, who took it and was pulled to his feet. Neither of them said a word as they walked out, the park disappearing around them.

When they stepped out of the elevator at the first floor (they had agreed on fetching a snack in the kitchen and then occupy a TV somewhere) they almost walked right into Piotr, who was just walking by. Warren, who hadn't met that many people yet, seemed a bit surprised over the size of the new guy. Piotr to seemed surprised by the new person, a person with a quite beautiful form of mutation. John, on the other hand, quickly got back to his grinning state. He was quite fond of Piotr; it was the big Russian who had told John to write down his thoughts and other stuff in the first place (after John made a comment on one of Piotr's paintings).

John made a gesture towards Piotr;

"Ey, Warren, this is Peter (don't even try to say his real name), the one who usually take care of the other students, use to paint (and he's quite damn good at it to), quiet, but perfect if you need to talk.

Peter, this is Warren, my newest pal, great guy with the worlds coolest mutation (except for mine), really nice and great when it comes to beat back in a word-battle. Don't know that much about him yet, though."

Piotr nodded and stretched out a massive hand to welcome Warren;

"My name is Piotr Rasputin, I'm from Russia"

Warren, shy and unsure, went back into the role of the good, well-mannered son of a millionaire;

"Warren Worthington, America."

John raised an eyebrow, both because of the fact that his new friend seemed so tensed up, and also since the name made him sure of that he'd heard it before. But then he shrugged, if it was important he'd remember it (probably in the middle of the night). Instead he turned to Piotr;

"We were going down to the kitchen for a snack, want to join in?"

Piotr thought for a moment, and then he nodded. The small group walked of, John leading a conversation, determinate to get the other two to get friends. It turned out good; soon enough Warren relaxed and talked open-minded to the other guy, and Piotr was talking more than he usually did.

When they arrived in the rest-room next to the kitchens they could hear raised voices long before they could see what was going on;

Rogue was standing in the middle of the room, screaming with tears hanging from her eyelashes, smearing out the makeup, and John wasn't surprised when it turned out to be her powers she was yelling about;

"You have no idea what my life has been like! All I wanted to was to be able to touch, is that too much to ask for?! Now when I finally can, you say it's wrong! How can you be so selfish, how can you ask this of me?!"

John turned his head to see who the angry (and quite red-faced) girl was screaming at, and by that figure out why. He got quite a surprise when he saw that it was Bobby, who as well looked a bit angry;

"It's actually not that difficult, since you don't seem to care anymore! As far as I've seen, it won't take too long before you find someone else, the way you've been testing you're way around!"

Rogue was fighting to get her breath back;

"How can you say that?! I thought you loved me Bobby! 'Cause I love you, I did all this to be able to be with you, and now you do this to me! Why, Bobby, WHY?!"

Standing in the doorway, John noticed the small glance he received from the ice-mutant, but Rogue didn't see it, and Bobby was quick with looking back at her.

Iceman's voice dropped down, Rogue had to shut up to be able to hear him;

"Let's just say someone made me open my eyes. And about you're powers; it's not like you wouldn't have done it anyway. Let's just face the fact that you can't stand to lose you're toy without it being you who threw it away. That is what this is all about, isn't it? We all know that you would have done it yourself sooner or later, it was just a matter of time before you could figure out a good excuse that didn't just spitted out the truth; that one guy wasn't enough for you!"

Rogue obviously couldn't take anymore;

"How can you say that, don't you realise how I feel about this?!"

Bobby just raised an eyebrow and started to walk towards the door;

"To me it doesn't look like you put that many feelings into in from the start."

This was obviously too much for the girl, who gave up a scream like a wounded cat and ran out through the other door, the one to the garden, where you, now that it was quiet, could hear the roars of the Wolverine and the cheering of Storm and Jean. Apparently Scott and Logan was beating each other up, and Logan was loosing to one of the few who knew enough techniques and evil tricks to bring him down (Scott Summers was brave, but he was obviously very stupid as well).

In the room Bobby was still walking towards the door, and he was looking straight at John. But John didn't want to talk to Bobby at all, so he darted into the kitchen as fast as he could. In there he looked through the cupboards after something that would fit Warren, Piotr and himself at the same time. Soon enough he found a bag of crisps, and he knew there should be some juice left in the fridge. John could hear someone come in and immediately thought it was Warren and Piotr, he would be really surprised if Bobby didn't get the hint.

"Think you can get a bowl for these?"

John shook the bag over his shoulder so that whoever it was would get the hint. He then got down without looking behind himself, and therefore got a big surprise when he felt the air getting cold around him.

"Here's your bowl."

A too familiar voice…

* * *

_I know I'm evil that stops here, but I have other things to do, belive me or not. Bu soon I'm done, and by then I'd love to have some ideas from you lot to work on, so please? Pretty please?_


	9. Crispbowls and Cdplayers

_I couldn't wait to post this when I got the idea, but I'm still welcomming suggestions on which way the story should take (any shipping is suitable, it doesn't have to be a Angel/Pyro or a Iceman/Pyro, I wouldn't mind if you told me you'd want something else)_

_So, in this chapter it's anoter confrontation, and now people start to notice that somethings wrong;_

* * *

John took a quick step to the left and looked at Bobby, how stupid could you get?!

Bobby sighed and put the bowl on the table, and then he turned to face John again;

"Look, I just want to talk, okay?"

John glared at him;

"We've talked enough."

"No, we haven't! We…"

"No, Bobby!"

John made clear with his voice that he wasn't angry, just that he'd gotten enough. He walked over so that he had the table between himself and Bobby and opened the bag.

"John, please? All I ask for is a second chance! Cant you just…?"

"No Bobby, I can't! And you've already wasted your second chance! And you're third, and forth! Get that it's over, and don't make it harder than it already is!"

But Bobby just shook his head;

"When are you going to get that I can't?!"

Bobby started to walk around the table, and John couldn't really decide on what to do, so he just stood there. When Bobby got around he just stopped there, looking down a bit into the face that brought up so many emotions, the face he loved so much that it hurt, the face that he'd kill himself for; the face that in the small details showed how unsure its owner really was. Looking into that face made it difficult to talk, but Bobby managed;

"How could you ever believe that I ever would stop loving you?"

Bobby pulled John into an embrace, and even if the other boy didn't respond, he didn't protest either. Bobby now talked quietly into his hair;

"How did you ever get into your mind that I didn't care? That I would put anyone else above you? That I would feel like this for anyone else, ever? Because I don't John, I can't.

It hurts like hell, this love, but it's worth it, you're worth it, and so much more. I can't give you all that you deserve, but if you let me, I swear that I'll do as much as I can!"

Bobby finally let go of John, but only so much that he could look down at him again;

"Please John; let me prove to you how much I love you. I don't know a way of doing it yet, if there even is a way. But I swear that I'll…"

Now John pushed him away, not a hard push that would send him to the ground, nor a push that would tell Bobby that John didn't want him there. It was gentle, as if John was afraid of making Bobby letting go or hurting him, and at the same time he hurt Bobby more than a hard push would. Because this told Bobby that even if John loved him back, he would let it go rather than being hurt again. That he rather suffers from this than the pain Bobby already had put him through. That Bobby hurt the one he loved so much that John was so afraid of him that he didn't want him anymore.

John just looked up at Bobby with sad eyes, took the bowl and went out.

In the kitchen Bobby stood for a while, just breathing, forcing the tears back. A few of them slipped through anyway, and he didn't do anything to get rid of them. After a while he was sure he could walk properly, and he went out and walked towards his now so empty room.

In one of the common rooms there was someone laying in the sofa, listening to music. When Bobby got closer he could make out the words;

_I hope you can hear me_

_I remember it clearly;_

_The day_

_You slipped away!_

_Was the day _

_I found it won't be the same!_

_I've had my wake up._

_Won't you wake up?_

_I keep asking 'Why'?_

_I can't take it_

_It wasn't fake_

_It happened you passed by!_

_Now you're gone_

_Now you're gone!_

_There you go_

_There you go!_

_Somewhere I can't bring you back!_

_Now you're gone_

_Now you're gone!_

_There you go_

_There you go!_

_Somewhere you're not coming back!_

_The day you slipped away…_

Bobby could feel the urge to cry bubble up again and he knew that this time he wouldn't be able to force it down. He almost ran to his room where he once again threw himself on the bed he still saw as Johns. He buried his face in the mattress, felt the smell that lingered in it, and screamed from the top of his lungs in a desperate, wounded, lonely way to get rid of the pain. It didn't matter if someone heard him, if they came here and found hi like this. Bobby dug his nails into the fabric and just let it all out…

In the common room Jubilee looked up from her sofa, who was it that was coming? When she saw that it was Bobby her first reaction was to scream at him, how could he ever have done that to Rogue?! And in front of people as well, oh yes, Rogue had told her all of it, about how those in the doorway just stood there, and didn't help her!

But then she saw the look on Bobby's face, the way he reacted on her music, and how he started to cry!

What the hell was this, wasn't he happy that Rogue was gone, did he regret it now? Jubilee made quick decision; she had to speak with Rogue. And with Kitty. And with…

With a quick move she turned off the CD-player and got up from the comfy position.

Now, where could they be…?

* * *

_Yeah, I know I'm evil, just tell me if something made you lose your mind, and I'll take the blame if your going to be locked in, okay?_

_The lyrics comes from the song_ Slipped away_ by _Avril Lavigne._ I was trying to get any idea of what to write and suddenly this song started to play on my CD- player. I've never done a song-fic before, so tell me if it was a good choice, please?_


	10. Funny movies and evil pillows

_I know it will take a bit more time between every chapter from now on, I just wanted to warn you in time. Keep on voting for your favourite couple, it seemes as if you are equal in the voting for J/W and J/B, so the story will go on until one of you winns._

_And i also wanted to thank you all that already voted, I'm really grateful!_

_In this chapter it'll be a movie-night with a fluffy ending;_

* * *

When John got out of the kitchen he was so deep into his thoughts that he almost went past Warren and Piotr, who was standing in the corridor and talking. Luckily Warren saw him coming and woke up John from his thoughts with a happy; 

"John!"

Before anyone (that would be Piotr, yes) could see how upset he was. But turning to Warren, John could put on an honest smile and once again be assured that the world wasn't so bad and that he'd soon be laughing again.

The room where Bobby and Rogue had argued was occupied by some of the younger students and Piotr talked John into not telling them to get the bib out. Instead they walked up to the third floor and found a room all for themselves. There Warren was quick with occupying the big armchair, so Piotr sat down in the sofa, and John took the pillows from it to get a cosy spot on the floor between them. He the looked up with a expecting and begging expression at Piotr, who just sighed and stood once again to put a movie in the video. Standing at the bookshelf he looked over his shoulder;

"What do you want to see?"

Warren looked a bit curious;

"I don't know, which ones do you have?"

Just as he finished John shouted;

"'The day after tomorrow'!"

Piotr looked through the shelf;

"Sorry John it's not here, someone has moved it…"

"Damn it!"

John sat back up and grabbed one of the pillows. He then swung it over his shoulder and down into the math with a thud, where it laid, looking innocent, while John was glaring at it as if it was the little pile of fluffy feathers and fabric that was responsible for running away with the movie. Then John looked up, only to find Warren looking at him with an overly-surprised and a worried expression. John smiled an innocent child-angel-smile, which only made Warren look even more wondering and slowly lean away from him. At the bookshelf Piotr was laughing quietly at the face-game, and then picked a movie on random. As it tuned out to be a scary (and quite bloody) movie, he put it back and took another one. When he looked at it he suddenly became aware of a face looking over his left arm (as if anyone ever would try to look over his shoulder).When he looked down he saw John, looking at the movie. Then Warren's voice came out from his right;

"'Happy feet'?"

John took the movie;

"Must be one of the young ones. Care to watch?"

Warren looked a bit surprised, as did Piotr, but they could both see that John meant it, so after looking at each other they both shrugged. At the moment he got his "approval" John was at the video-player, put the movie in it and pressed the "play"-button.

The movie wasn't so bad, and for someone like Warren, who wasn't used to watch (or do) things with friends, it was a heaven on earth. He and John trigged each other up every time they were laughing at something so Piotr sometimes decided to pause the movie so that they wouldn't miss anything.

When the movie ended John immediately wanted to see another, with the excuse that they'd laughed so much that almost all of the crisps had been left uneaten. Piotr was a bit unsure about it; it was a school-day tomorrow and they had to sleep. But after having John promising that he and Warren would go to bed after this movie, he stayed. John was muttering something about not being trusted while he looked for another. Just because he could, he took the longest one he could find; Merlin´, about three hours. Smiling evilly on the inside, John put it in the video. As soon as Piotr recognised the movie, he realised John's idea; for there was no way the Pyro would want to see this thing again. Piotr remembered how much he'd complained the last time he watched it (as homework, the professor was trying out new ideas).

Even though Warren seemed pretty interested, he neither managed to stay focused on the TV-screen for that long; after having watched John move around the pillows, he to lay down on the floor. Then they both moved around down there for a while before everything calmed down.

When his favourite scene was over, Piotr stopped the movie and looked down at the two other sleeping boys on the floor with a sight. He decided not to wake them, they looked way too cute. At least not until he'd gotten a camera…

Piotr made himself sure that he didn't make too much noise when he took out the movie, put it back in the bookshelf and walked out of the room to get his camera; he couldn't wait until he got to see John's face when he showed him this picture. Of course he wouldn't show it to the other students before both John and Warren had said that it was okay. Piotr just hoped that nobody would wake the boys before he got back, or that anyone would find them at all. If it reached the "wrong" people, a thing like this, or rather a position like the one his friends were in, it could turn out to be a pretty nasty thing…

How much Piotr ever prayed, something was doomed to happen, even a child could figure that out. The only question was who it would be that found them... Who would walk around the whole mansion looking for one particular person? Who could be so desperate to find this person that he/she had been walking through the whole building, even been down in the garage to make sure that no car was missing? Who could it be that had ignored all invitations to sit down and have a fun time with friends, denied all offers to help and shock the head to all worrying questions? Who was it that kept on searching for hours for someone who as far as he/she knew didn't want to talk to anyone? Who could ever care so much about one particular fire-mutant if not the very opposite in power. Bobby had been walking for quite long and was so tired after all the stairs that his usual happy encouraging profile now was a slowly-walking, deep-breathing figure with hanging arms and dark, sad, almost empty eyes. The last hours of worrying, days of loneliness and the fact that his heart seemed to be broken more than once the last days, it had all had a quite fascinating changing on his appearance. Just as the professor had said, power grew at stress, or big emotional moments. This was why the maths all around the mansion had slowly-melting parts of frost on them, formed as footprints. This was why Rogues breath turned to white smoke when she stepped inside her ex-boyfriends room when she was looking for him after hearing Jubilees version of what had occurred in the resting-room earlier. This was why everyone that had tried to get closer than one meter from Bobby during his search had felt like they had stepped into a fridge.

Bobby sight as he slowly walked closer towards the last common-room he had to check. After that he'd have to give up for tonight, and just get up early to be able to guard the kitchen at breakfast… For now he knew that John truly missed him, that if he just got the other boy to realise that he wouldn't repeat his mistakes, that he'd learned his lesson and that he was truly sorry, then maybe he'd still have a chance to put all the peaces of his heart together, then maybe his life could stop being a frozen hell. Then maybe he'd be able to get happy…

But when Bobby reached the room and looked inside, it seemed to be empty. Almost crying again, something he seemed to do a lot these days, Bobby leaned against the doorframe, sliding down to sit on the now frozen floor. He put his arms around himself, not for getting warmer, but so that he could dig his nails into the fabric and bite his lip, desperately trying to prevent the tears from falling. Grabbing the last peace of hope he had he stood up and walked closer to the TV. He knew that John used to lay on the floor when he watched something on the screen, since this habit had been the main reason Bobby started to do the same. And more than once it had led to that they ended up concentrating on something completely else…

But when Bobby got so close that he could see properly, he got to see more than he asked for;

Sure John was there, but he wasn't alone. And in the place Bobby rather would see himself, someone else lay, someone he recognised; Warren! As the Ice-mutant took in the scene the tears that he'd worked so hard to keep away started to slip down his cheeks, but they froze before they could fall to the floor; on the floor, in a comfy pile of pillows lay the two mutants, turned against each other. Both looked as peaceful as you ever could get, Warren with his head just under John's and with one of his wings draped over his own shoulder. One of John's hands had it in a lazy grip, as if even in his sleep, the Pyro was careful not to hurt his friend. Warrens hand lay on that very hands upper arm, as if telling it to be careful. The other of John's arms served as a pillow for the Winged-mutant, the hand almost stroking the feathers of the other wing, which lay outstretched on the floor. Warren's other hand was at John's chest, almost gripping a handful of his sweater. Both had their legs half pulled up, so that one of John's laid draped over Warrens. A lazy, tired, but very happy and satisfied smile covered both faces, and over the whole scene laid a cover of peace, a cloak of stillness and calm.

But all this went past the third mutant in the room, which after watching for only a few seconds turned on his heal and almost ran out of the room. The sound of his footsteps didn't wake up the two friends, it only caused them to stir for a bit, so that when Piotr returned, John had buried his face a bit in Warren's hair, and the Angel had a bit of a grip in the fabric of John's t-shirt. Piotr just smiled at this and took his picture before he carefully made them let go of each other and carried them back to their rooms. He didn't have to wake up any of them to find his way; Warren had told him were he slept and were John had moved the other day when they were waiting for the fire-mutant to return from the kitchen. And since both of them were wearing soft-pants (why not on a weekend?) he just had to pull John's sweater of. He'd done it before and knew he wouldn't mind. Though he hesitated a bit, he did the same with Warren, after making sure that he wouldn't hurt his wings.

Satisfied with the evening he went to his own room, set the alarm, made a memory-note to check that his two friends got out of bed in time the next morning, and laid down to wait for sleep, which didn't take long time to come.

* * *

_I know I'm evil against Bobby, but in the same time he deserves it. Tell me if I'm going too far..._


	11. Breakfast and old confrontations

_In this chapter there will finally be a confrontation between Bobby and Warren._

* * *

The first thing John felt when he woke up was that he needed to sneeze. And when he sat up he did it, twice. Then he immediately wanted to wash his hands, which he, of course, did.

The moment he came out from the bathroom there was a knocking on the door. When John opened it he saw Piotr and Warren, both dressed and with a tray with breakfast for three people. John grinned and let them in. Piotr put the tray on his chair while Warren sat down on his bed;

"We heard you sneeze, are your cold getting worse?"

John looked through his wardrobe and dragged out some clothes;

"No, actually I'm better, now it's just my nose that needs to be fixed…"

When he looked around he saw Warren laugh quietly and gave the boy a questioning look. Warren just kept on smiling;

"You know that you probably chose the worst time ever to get better since you have to get to class today…"

John groaned loudly and caused both Piotr and Warren to laugh;

"Can't you just say that I go worse and I'll stay in my room the whole day?"

Warren shook his head;

"Nope, if we suffer you do to. Anyhow, I don't think you'll be able to sit here and be calm the whole day without destroying anything…"

John gave him a sulking look;

"Do you have any idea how irritating it is when people know you that good?!"

Warren leaned forward, looking serious;

"Yes, a lot."

He nodded like in self-confidence and made a big thing of picking a marmalade-sandwich from the plate on the tray. John dropped all the clothes he'd picked out in a pile on the floor and sat down on the floor to eat as well.

Piotr was the one to break the silence;

"Warren and I were talking about going down to the mall this afternoon to by some Christmas presents and…"

Johns head jerked up;

"Christmas?"

Both Warren and Piotr looked surprised at him;

"Don't say that you forgot about a thing like Christmas?!"

John looked close to a breakdown;

"I did!"

Then the others started to laugh which caused John to let out a little smile. Piotr was the one who saw the most humoristic in the whole thing; John had been talking about Christmas even before the snow started to fall, and he had argued a whole month before it that they shouldn't have to go to school this close before a that important holiday. However, he lost that argument against Mr. Summers when the man pointed out that John only loved the holiday because of the presents, decorations and other things that didn't have anything to do with the original reason that you celebrated Christmas in the first place.

But of course the mess during the last holiday had caused John to forget about it, and now he, of course, had to overreact on it.

Warren quit laughing at John after a while;

"Anyhow, we wondered if you wanted to come along. We thought we could split up at some rate and get present for each other, and later on meet again and eat at the mall."

He then took a bite of his sandwich and watched while John thought it over;

"Sure I tag along, but I just want to ask; why go shopping on a Monday, didn't anyone thought about it during the weekend?"

Warren looked at him;

"During this weekend; no. And like you said in the danger-room; none in their right minds would go there today, and since we already made clear that day that we two are nuts we might as well do it! We thought it over and came to the conclusion that not that many people go there on a Monday, so it won't be that crowded."

John nodded, now it finally made sense.

When they were done eating and Piotr went down to the kitchen with the tray and their plates and glasses, John got dressed while Warren waited outside. And even though John had picked out his clothes before they ate it seemed as if it would take a while. Warren did his best to be patient, and just to have something to do he started to move his weight from one foot to the other while his wings unfolded themselves and then got back to their normal position.

Then suddenly, when he put town his weight on the left foot, the math crunched. Surprised Warren looked down; the math was covered in small ice-crystals that would break a first touch. To find out where they came from he then looked up, and there stood someone he recognised. He'd herd enough about this boy to get a pretty bad picture of him, but now when he saw Bobby close up for the first time a thought occurred him; Bobby was just a boy, like himself. And human or mutant; nobody is perfect. Bobby had made a mistake, just one thing got wrong, and it ended up like this. Of course it wasn't the purpose when he did it, so why judge him for it? Everyone made stupid things and it was the surroundings that decided how big that thing could be called. One little detail, or a word from someone, might have changed the whole thing.

So when looking upon Bobby, Warrens mind decided that he'd give the other boy a chance, no matter what he'd herd. It seemed as if a lot of the kids at this place liked him, and that had to be for a reason. Hardly anyone liked John, but he'd turned out to be the first real friend Warren got here…

Giving the other boy a smile, Warren just said;

"Hi."

Bobby nodded;

"Hi."

He didn't smile, but he didn't look angry either. So Warren held out a hand;

"I'm Warren."

Bobby looked at it for a while, and just when Warren was about to take it back he took it in a firm and cold grip;

"Bobby Drake, usually called Iceman."

Warren looked down at his hand in surprise after Bobby had released it; it was covered in frost and he couldn't feel it at all, or move it.

"I see why…"

Bobby looked at him with cold eyes; it seemed as if the Iceman was sick of having feelings so he just turned them of.

"So what are you?"

Warren looked up, he'd no idea what the other boy meant. Then, without a warning, Bobby stepped forward and sized one of his wings over his shoulder. Warren stared in shock at the other mutant, who just stood there, holding his wing in a painfully cold grip and looking at it with the same cold expression.

"You're him."

Warren had no idea of what the other boy talked about;

"Who?!"

Bobby really freaked him out by now, and he didn't let go of the wing despite Warren's obvious struggle against it. Instead he started to turn his hand so that the wing slowly was turned into a painful angle.

"Please, let go, it hurts!"

Bobby looked down at Warren; cold, uncaring eyes, a blank face that showed no expression, and a mind just as cold as the ice it created and formed.

Then Bobby let go. Warren immediately backed away, he was quite sure that this mutant wouldn't care if he hurt him worse than this.

"You stay away from him."

"What?!"

Warren didn't get a thing.

"Stay away from Pyro, or you'll be sorry."

"But… Why…?"

"Because I said so."

Now Warren got a bit angry;

"Shouldn't John have a say in the matter?"

Bobby didn't answer, but for the first time he showed some sort of feelings; his eyes got thinner and his jaws tighten; mouth turning into a sneer.

But before he could answer the door to Johns room flew up, forcing the ice-mutant to back away before he could get hit.

"Were gonna be late!"

John shouted as he ran out, grabbing Warrens arm and dragging the other boy with him and rushing towards the classroom, where Piotr probably waited for them.

Left in the corridor was Bobby, who looked after the other two boys with an unreadable face before he slowly stared to walk towards the class. In this pace he'd be late, but who cared?

* * *

_So, anyone who'd like to comment?_


	12. Boring classes, boring Monday

_Finally a weekend without homework!_

_Thankyou so much BluePuppeta.JAA for all yur comments, I hope that you enjoy htis one as well._

_A normal day for a student; boring lessons and troubles with friends, who cares if it is a mutant or not?_

* * *

In the classroom the class was just about to start, so John and Warren only got a pair of raised eyebrows from Storm, and a pair of giggles from the girls in the back. John dragged Warren with him to sit by the window, right in front of Piotr, who just shook his head at them. Then John realised he'd forgotten the books, so with a little whisper to his friend he shared with Warren.

Warren was still uncomfortable with his cold hand and he kept on rubbing it, hoping that would help him get it back to normal temperature. After a while John noticed;

"What are you doing?"

Warren gave him a weak smile;

"My hand is getting cold; I just try to get the blood back into it."

John smiled as well and pulled out his lighter;

"Then I maybe can help you out!"

Not 5 seconds later Warren could hold his hand over a small fireball, hidden behind the desk.

Finally he could move it, but it stung a bit when the blood started to flow again and the nerves started to work.

About 15 minutes into the lesson the door was opened and Bobby walked in. Instead of apologising for being late he just walked to his seat, sending Warren a cold, hateful gaze. When Storm asked him why he was being late he just said;

"I have my reasons."

She never got more than that.

All in all, John couldn't say that the lesson was bad, even if Warren seemed to rather listen to what Storm said than watch him form his flames into different shapes. In the end John actually listened a bit and picked up a thing or two (like when the homework was to be turned in, but he could just pretend he didn't).

At the end John tried as always to get first outside, even though the door was on the other side of the room. He completely missed the questioning look Warren gave Piotr behind him, who just shock his head (again). Something John noticed though was the ice on the floor around Bobby's chair, so instead of slipping on it, like some other of the students had, he walked around, just in time to see that the mutant creating the ice was waiting for him. John was too close to pretend he hadn't seen Bobby, and since he'd gone ahead of Warren and Piotr they were too far away to help him (and he could see that Bobby knew this).

But suddenly a voice shouted out over the heads of the students;

"Bobby, can you stay behind, please? I'd like to have a talk with you."

The few moments Bobby looked at Storm, who had shouted at him, John snuck by him and the last Bobby saw of him was his profile when he walked out in the corridor. Muttering curses in his mind he waked up to the teacher's desk, sending the back of the last mutant (who just happened to be Warren) an icing look. He then turned to Storm…

Even though they had at least ten more minutes of the break left, Warren, John and Piotr sat outside the classroom, the tow younger taking turn to have a "one- minute- drawing" of them selves in stupid positions (that they often couldn't hold for more than a few seconds).

When the lesson started John was surprised to see that Bobby was getting late again. He got a look from Piotr that he chose to ignore, and a question from Warren that he just shrugged of.

But as the day went on he to begun to wonder; Bobby didn't turn up to any more lessons and they didn't see him in the dining hall at lunch either. And even if John looked everywhere he went he didn't see any sings of ice, only the snow that was once again falling outside.

Just because of said snow, Summers refused to let them borrow a car in the afternoon. Even if he explained so at least Warren and Piotr understood (the simple reason that he wanted to be sure that the roads were free from snow so that they wouldn't have a car-crash involving 3 students) John didn't want to listen.

Because of this the three of them was currently sitting in the library, Warren reading, Piotr painting him just because he didn't know it and therefore would look perfectly natural, and John simply looking out through the window.

None of them knew how long time that had passed (bless the one who got the thought of letting the Monday be a short day for the students) when they heard voices that, at last to John, was way too familiar; Rogue and Jubilee, talking about the familiar name 'Bobby'.

Even if John didn't move at all, he was now all ears, trying to pick up as much as he could. The reason he didn't know; Piotr and Warren (that could hardly recognise any if them in this short amount of time) didn't seem to even realize that someone talked a lot louder than you should in a library.

When they came closer he could make out more;

"And he just stood there?"

Rogue, why did she sound so eager?

"Yeah, but only for a few seconds. The he started to cry, and ran away!"

Jubilee, sounding happy, and of course as if she'd told this story a hundred times already (which she probably had).

"Now, are you sure he cried? Cause Bobby isn't rally that way..?"

"Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent!"

What?! Bobby, crying?! John almost laughed; sure Bobby was a bit of a softy (he should be the one to know) but he never cried! He didn't, did he?

"But Jubes are you sure it was because…?"

"Sure it was Rogue, and stop calling me that! Just stop fuzzy about it and go find him!"

He knew it, John thought bitterly. It was just a matter of time before Bobby would stop pretend and go back to the toy that was easier to keep…

Suddenly John jerked and made Warren drop his book in surprise; suddenly a voice echoed in his head, slicing through his thoughts like a knife;

"John, could you please come to my office, it is very urgent!"

Swearing about the professor and his powers John got up from the sofa, picked up warrens book and gave it to him before starting to walk towards the office of the professor.

Warren and Piotr exchanged a glance and hurried after.

On their way John repeated the message the professor gave him to the others. Both Piotr and John was starting to winder what was going on; the professor never used a word as urgent if he didn't have any other word for it, and even then it took some time before he mentioned it to his students…

* * *

_I'll start working on the next chapter right after getting somthing to eat, but I'll still be glad if you leave a comment? Just a small one? Please? _


	13. Long talking and a cooling

_Now it will be much talking, and the professor do the most of it. Honestly I had to do it this way, say whatever you want._

_Now is the last chanse to vote for how the story will go; Bobby/ John or Warren/John. These are the only couples I've come up with possivble so far, but I'm open for other suggestions, maybe I can get inspisations to another fanfic... _

* * *

At the office John hadn't even knocked on the door before it opened. The professor came out followed by Storm. Both had a worried expression.

"This way please."

With that the professor started to lead the way through the school, and it took only a few moments before John realised where they were going; the lab/hospital. He saw that Piotr also noticed this, Warren just looked worried. They were both walking behind John, who was walking behind Storm, who was after the professor.

Outside the room they stopped and the professor turned towards the three students;

"John, I would appreciate if you could come in here alone with me, Storm will explain all to your friends outside in the meanwhile."

The man in the wheelchair made clear with his voice that it wasn't really a question, so John nodded, though he was extremely confused. With a last look at his friends he went inside after the professor.

After the door closed behind him John once again faced the telepath;

"So, are you going to tell me why we were dragged here?"

"Yes."

"…?"

"Come with me."

John walked after the man as he wheeled away into the room. He wondered why the professor avoided the subject and what all this was about. He almost seemed to have a problem to find the right words.

They suddenly stopped and the professor turned against him again. John crossed his arms and looked down at the man, making clear that he wanted to know exactly what was going on.

The professor sighed;

"If I'm going to be able to make you understand this we need to go back a bit."

John just nodded; interrupting would be like giving the man a sort of escape, and he for sure wouldn't do that. The smile the professor gave him made him sure on that he'd heard John think it.

"As you probably guessed by now this is about young Mr. Drake."

This was actually a surprise to John; the thought hadn't crossed his mind.

"After some worrying signs we brought him in here and discovered some really troubling things.

Bobby Drake has for a long time being surrounded by people working against his powers. First of all you, who has been his friend for quite some time. With the differences in your powers it was, by the nature, never really meant for you to spend so much time together as you did. Now I'm quite sure that you remember that your body temperature is a little bit higher than the one of other people."

Oh, yes, John remembered. At the very first time he was here and got his temp checked Dr. Grey started to think that he had a fever, and she didn't believe him when he said he was fine. That was before they knew anything about his powers; he'd just walked in and said that he was a mutant. The professor knew that he was telling the truth, so they let him stay.

He'd been forced to stay in his bed covered in blankets for a whole day before the mistake was discovered (and Dr. Grey had a really big embarrassing moment when Mr. Summers told the rest of the school).

"Now, the same goes for Mr. Drake, due to his mutation his body temperature is a bit lower than the one of others. That also resulted in a bit if confusion at the first discovery of it.

But by now everyone has gotten used to it, or so we thought. Since you and Mr. Drake spend so much time together you both started to get used to each others powers; always being heated up by you Mr. Drakes body started to cool itself down more and more until it got to a fitting level where it could keep the temperature it would have without your heat. You, on the other hand, should have gotten used to heat yourself up, but I suppose that you, as always, have used your power to stay at a comfortable level. Add the fact that you had a sort of discharge in the middle of the events.

Later on he started to get along with Rogue, who also started to take away his powers. This only made his body work even more to keep him in the right place, so that it wouldn't get too hot.

But now, as you know, both of these facts that brought down his powers disappeared in a short amount of time. At the same time he had to deal with a stress of his mind that only increased his gift."

John could see where this was going; without having himself and Rogue around to bring the ice down, and having a so troubled mind that his powers only grew, Bobby would in the end lose control. Or he already had; John thought back at the footprints in the corridors, and the ice on the floor in the classroom. Maybe Bobby couldn't turn it off anymore…

"Now, as well as having a much lower body temperature than the usual even to himself, Mr. Drake is experiencing a sort of change of mind. He will start to work as his element; cold and inexorable to anyone who doesn't carry the right power to work against it."

So Bobby's icy glares maybe weren't caused by the fact that John now was hanging out with the Warren… Or maybe it was. And what if this was permanent? Would Bobby turn into an ice cube because of John?

"No, John, you don't have to worry about that. Bobby will be fine after his body has gotten used to not having you two around as much as before. But it will take some time I'm afraid."

John just nodded, he was too busy thinking.

"Of course you'll be able to see him, he will stay in here for a few days and you will always be able to get in.

Now to the fact that I brought you here; at the moment the cooling of Mr. Drake has reached a quite concerning level, and the only way we could come up with to get him out of the state was to bring you here. Using elements or blankets or antything such as that would give the wrong sort of heating…"

John once again nodded and started to walk. He knew that Bobby was in here and he didn't want to hear any more explanations. Coming to think about it, John knew he couldn't stay here without Bobby, they were too close. Even if they never could go back to what they had before, they still could be friends. Yeah, that would be good; having Bobby around to do everything with, but not having him too close. He maybe could get use to having Warren around, if they got a good chance to talk, they would get along pretty well…

John knew he was only fooling himself, but sometimes you had to pretend. If he pretended this now, encouraged himself into it, it wouldn't be so serious and scary. Then he could fool himself that he could do this without fearing for finally giving in to Bobby's begging.

The room only had one bed occupied, at the window. The person in it was lying down, probably asleep. Already where John was a white frosting was covering the walls. From the bed was pure ice going all the way down into the floor, forming stalagmites and stalactites of pure ice, they looked like they were made of glass…

John's breath was forming white clouds when he reached the bed and he was shivering. Just because he could he pulled a bit in the corner of the blanket the person in the bed had draped over himself; after pulling it back and forth a few times it broke off.

Dropping the peace of frozen fabric on the floor John pulled out his lighter. At first he only played with it, not really knowing what to do. The person in the bed moved at the sound, and John quietly laughed; the sound of the lighter always irritated Bobby out of his mind, no matter what mood he was in.

Slowly forming a ball of fire in his palm, John found to his surprise that he couldn't come up with anything to do with it. He just let it be there, warming up his fingers that had gone numb in the cold, trying to get himself to think…

* * *

_Sorry it's so boring, I'll try to get better at it. Don't forget to review, ok?_


	14. The begining of an end

_Sorr taking such time (again). No futher talking, on with the story!_

* * *

Giving up on the thinking part, John closed his hand to put the fire out and looked at Bobby's face. Then he climbed up in the foot-end of the bed and sat there, cross-legged, looking down at the other mutant, trying to discover if he felt anything. As usual, when he didn't concentrate on it, his power started to pick on him, and with a move that was so old that he didn't knew he'd done it, the lighter flung opened and a little flame started to form itself in his palm.

For a good 15 minutes John just sat there, looking at Bobby. He felt something, he was sure of that, but if it was the same thing as it would have been a few weeks ago he wasn't sure. John still remembered how he'd felt when they were at Alkali Lake and Stryker had started the whole "kill-every-mutant-project". When he, Bobby and Rogue waited in the jet and he almost had left, he'd stayed only because Bobby outright asked him not to. After that, when that horrid pain started, he regretted it for the first time (but not the last). Not because he thought that he could have escaped it, but because he could hear Bobby's scream. Hearing that but not being able to do anything was the worst thing with the whole process, if you asked John (and got him to tell the truth).

But now, looking at the boy he'd loved at that time, he didn't feel the same way. Sure he was worried, despite everything the professor had said about Bobby getting better. But it wasn't the same sour worry that almost felt as if he was going to throw up that he actually thought he'd feel.

With something that felt like a soft beat in his stomach John realised that the worry he felt was only the sort of worry you feel for a friend. After everything Bobby had done John still thought of him as his best friend.

But he didn't love him.

When had this happened?

Probably long ago, but the thing that started the whole reaction was when Warren just came up to John and started talking…

John smiled, and without him seeing it the flame that twisted around his fingers grew a bit and moved even faster. He almost wished that the wing-mutant were there now, it would feel a bit easier then. But at this rate, who knew what Bobby would do…

Bobby actually stirred a bit, but John was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't notice.

Instead of concentrating on what he'd been told to do; help Bobby, John started to think of his and Warrens first day; teasing Wolverine, flying, the danger-room. With the last thing in mind John let his soul take control of the flame in his hand. He tested something new, his favourite play with the fire; breaking of small peaces and let them float in the air. Making them smaller and creating more he was soon lost in his play, and never saw when Bobby opened his eyes…

A little cloud of sparks danced around John where he sat, like a swirl of stars around him. The cloud grew and rose up in the air, around two meters up. Then they fell down, each of them leaving a small trail of tiny sparks after them, so that thin threads rose from the floor, bed, boys and walls. The points where the threads touched something, wall or fabric of the blanket didn't matter, were slowly warming up, small rings growing from the tips of the threads. When the whole area was cleaned of frost John started to move the threads, letting them circle and slowly move out so that they in the end formed a ring around the bed. Then he made them wider, but not thicker, until the whole bed and its both occupants were under a thin bowl turned up side down, completely made of fire. Small sparks erupted from the edges, flew across the area in the bowl and were swallowed by the other side, not one coming out on the other side. Sometimes they took little turns and flew up, in circles, down under the bed, but not once the clothes or the bed caught on fire.

Finally John pulled down the top of the bowl and the rest slowly followed, first up towards where the top had went down, then with the flow down into the mutants hands. The "top" of it were balancing in Johns palm, then the whole form went upwards immediately, like a very thin vase. When it was only a meter of fire left John stopped his pulling and broke the upper half of his creating into threads again, like tentacles. They moved a bit before John tipped his hand over and it fell down a bit but stopped in midair. There it started to move like an octopus, and in the end it swam away. It took a turn around its master, then turned towards the other living creature in the area, taking a slowly turn right above Bobby's face. Then it swam upwards, with Bobby's eyes following its every move. Slowly the ice-mutant sat up, looking towards where he felt the weight of another person. There was John, as beautiful as ever, in a cloud of big fireballs… No, fishes! Bobby slowly looked around; it was as if the was at the bottom of a huge aquarium where everything was red, orange or yellow. Fishes of all sizes, octopuses, eels, jelly-fishes, seaweed, even bubbles… When Bobby looked up he even saw what could have been the water surface, though it was all made of fire, like watching a sunset from under the water. How long had John been able to do all this, with only his lighter, and why hadn't he told Bobby… Well, he at least knew the answer of that; because Bobby hadn't listened. Maybe John had already told him, but who had heard it? Who ever listened?

Bobby realised with a sickening feeling that he'd done much more that taking away Johns current lover when he left him for Rogue; he'd taken John's best friend, his one ant truly love, his safety, his trust, his reasons to stay, his everything. Bobby had actually done this to someone, and that someone wasn't just a faceless person in a grey mass, it was the one Bobby loved himself!

And instead of being completely destroyed like any other person would, that very someone was sitting there, playing with his mutant power like a child that just discovered it and just was a little curious. Just like an innocent child, not knowing anything about the dangers and evils in the world, not knowing that it were things like true hurt and unhappiness, things like hate, misery or death out there waiting to put its black claws in you and pull you into the darkness. Not knowing that just because you were yourself you could be hated, yelled at, tortured and even killed.

When Bobby looked at Johns face, glowing in the light of his under-water-creatures, smiling at his own fishes, his own world, he couldn't see one trail of all the pain he'd gone through. John had told Bobby his whole story, bit by bit, and Bobby knew what sort of life he had behind. John was the sort of kid that no doubt would end up in jail and the judgers would all blame it on his family for it, at least if you looked at how the world worked. But there he was, hiding all the shame, beats of his fathers, evil hisses of his mother, all the bruises from his life on the streets, all the tears that no one cared if he'd cried, all the blood that had been dripping from his wounds when people discovered what he was; everything was hidden. Nothing in his face showed that he'd been drugged and raped at the age of ten, that his own brother threw stones at him and called him freak when he ran away from home, that he'd been half dead when Xavier by pure chance send out Cyclops and Storm to drag him out from under a bridge, away from the rotting and stinking body of a dog that had been dead for at least a week and bring him to the mansion, where he'd be even more alone before Bobby moved into his room because it was too many students to give him a room of his own. Nothing there showed that he had to spend a whole month in a normal hospital before they could nurse him in the mansion by themselves, no sign was there to show the world that he knew that people whispered and pointed after him in the corridors, that he'd tried to run away from the mansion six times in a half year because he thought that they tried to trick him and was going to hand him over to some mutant-experimenting-lab. He'd told Bobby that he rather kill himself than going back to a place like that; he'd spend a week there before he was able to melt the opening to the ventilation in his cell and escape, and he had scars on his arms to prove that he'd tried to do the same thing for other reasons…

But there was no sign of it now; there was just a happy boy who'd learned to have fun on his own and was doing just that.

Bobby knew what he'd done, the full weight of it was finally upon his soul and heart, and there was no thought in his mind of what he could do to erase the pain. For he knew that he deserved it, that it was just equal. Bobby realised in that moment that all the people who said that life was unfair lied, it was the thing that it was fairer than they wanted it to be that was the problem. For everything that you did really did rewarded itself, and it did that in a meaning that was more than humanity wanted it to be. Life was more fair than any human or mutant ever could understand, not even the professor would see that far into the truth.

Life was fair, but the ones who lived it weren't…

Without realising it Bobby had started to cry, and the tears didn't frees on his cheeks. Then suddenly something soft touched his face and he was pulled out of the world in his mind; John wasn't at the foot-end of the bed anymore, he stood next to Bobby and dried away his tears with a napkin. When Bobby looked up, he smiled and gave the napkin to Bobby so that he could do it himself. John knew that even so small things like someone touching your face with a peace of paper could be embarrassing, even if no one saw you. Bobby took it, dried the last of his tears, blew his nose and threw the napkin in the basket next to his bed.

All the jelly-fishes and seaweed; the whole aquarium-world was gone, and Johns lighter was back in its owners pocket, laying still and silent until next time.

John sat down next to his friend and waited until he sat up and looked him in his eyes.

Without any sort of nice beginning, like one of them touching the cheek of the other or some sweet words, they simply fell into and embrace of each other, clinging to the thing that for at least some point in their short lives had meant the most to them in the entire world. No words was spoken, no whispers or soothing playing with the others hair was done. For they both knew that this was the last, this was it. When they let go it would all belong to the past, all words, touches and feelings would be forgotten, or as close to forgotten as they could get. For they wouldn't turn back this time, a silent agreement said that both of them would let go of the other. In that hug there were no words, but two grasps let go of a chain that belonged to the heart of the other, an opening of the hand that meant that they would never pick it up again.

A final end to it…

* * *

_Now I'll warn you all right from the start that it might take a while before I get back my inspiration again, I lost it halfway through this as well..._


	15. When a friend is hurt

_I'm so sorry that it took such long time (again), but I compleatley lost the thread in the story. I'll try to continue, but school is taking a lot of time these days..._

_Anyway, on with the story;_

* * *

After a hug like that it would be easy to have an embarrassing silence afterwards, but that never came. Instead both John and Bobby heard a shriek the moment they let go. When John looked up and towards the door his first thought was that a badger had learned to walk on two legs and now were running like mad towards them. Then his eyes cleared and he saw Rogue a moment before she came up to them and pushed him so hard in the chest that he fell down on the other side of the bed.

"Just what do you think you are doing?!"

Aha, the yelling came from Rogue, and she was still stuck at that high-pitched tone… They really should put a math in here; the floor was both hard and cold… John slowly sat up and looked over the bed at Rogue who still was yelling at him, something about disgusting, unnatural freak, stolen boyfriends, can't believe this, poor fooled Bobby and such. John waited until she ran out of air and had to take a deep breath before he answered;

"What the hell are you going on about?"

"You, you little bastard, I saw you, don't think that you'll get away with this!"

"Get away with what, and get where, I'm not going anywhere…?"

"You little freak, I saw you, you're…you're…"

John tilted his head, now he was a bit curious…

"You're GAY!"

Rogue pointed at him, spitting out the last word as if it felt like dirt in her mouth. John continued to look expectantly at her, that couldn't…could it…?

"Is that all?"

"What?! All what?! I saw you, you were trying to…"

John stood up;

"You see two guys hug, judge them as gay the first thing you do, and now yell as if that caused the end of the world?"

Rogue stared at him, lack of words let her moth hanging open. Instead a new voice joined the group;

"John, I'm sorry, she just came running by, and we couldn't stop her…"

"Don't worry Warren; we're done here anyway…"

"Done?! (That shrieking really stared to hurt in your ears after a while… John wondered how Wolverine, with is high sentences could stand a girl like Rogue) Wait, do you mean that you…?"

"No."

Johns answer didn't really seem to make any difference to the screaming girl;

"Oh, my God, that'd disgusting, it's so…ewww!"

By now Bobby seemed to have enough of her to;

"We didn't do anything, now may you quit that whining of yours and go away, I want to sleep!"

With that he turned his back to the others and lay down, not caring about John's smile, Warren's surprised look and Rogue's chocked face.

"But Bobby…honey, I was just…I was worried! I just herd from Jubilee and…"

John groaned;

"Just shut up, you bitch! He doesn't want you, everyone could tell that you weren't worried, just irritating, and Jubilee make up stupid rumours all the time and you're an idiot if you belive them!"

John felt good for finally saying it, but that didn't last for long. Rogue let out an angry, girlish growling (John almost started to laugh at the sound) and apparently decided to give him The Bitch-Slap from Hell. But before she could, Warren grabbed her wrist with a;

"Oh, stop this, it's just stupid…"

He never got any further. All John had time to notice was that Warren grew awfully pale in too short time, and then fell to the floor.

Time seemed to almost stand still. Warren's surprised face slowly fell backwards as his whole body seemed to lose all energy at once, his eyes losing all focus and then closing. John felt as if Bobby had frozen him to the spot, he couldn't move, as he watched how his friend in slow-motion was pulled towards the floor by gravitation. When no muscles held them in place the wings unfolded a bit before the whole body crashed to the floor with a thud that made the glasses and test-tubes at the shelves and the sink a few meters away shiver and clatter against each other, and for a moment that was the only sound in the room. A few feathers broke lose from their fragile attachment, taking small turns in the air before they once again, now to the music of clinking glass, slowly fell to the floor, laying down softly.

Both John and Rogue stared at the collapsed mutant on the floor, the wings still white as the snow that now blew around outside the windows, the motionless body, the face as peaceful as the one of someone sleeping, or someone dead…

That last thought made John's mind go all blank. Only one thing existed in there; Rogue had killed the Angel. It didn't matter how, or why, she'd done it, and now she would pay! No one hurt the friends of the Pyro without getting what they deserved out of it!

From the bed Bobby was watching, he'd sat right up again at Rogues scream, and he'd seen it all! How did this happened, did Rogue get her powers back all of sudden?! But…the cure…?

Then an inhuman scream made both Iceman and Rogue jump and they turned towards John, both of them getting a small shock;

All the air around Pyro seemed to vibrate due to the heat, pulling a bit at his clothes, and his eyes were dark with anger. Behind him something yellow started to appear, and it came as a chock to both of them when they realised that it was fire. John was loosing control again! Long tentacles of fire started to rise behind him, moving around and in the end standing all around him as if forming a shield. Then suddenly one of them lashed out like a whip, and Rogue barely had time to dodge it. It was only thanks to the reflexes she'd gained in the Danger-room that she wasn't put on fire, like the wall behind her. John growled at her and sent out more tentacles lashing at her, so the girl did the only thing she could; dodging and jumping, running in sic-sac she managed to get closer to the door, all the time having beds and walls around her put on fire, shelves brought down, and glass exploding when they hit the floor. Her vision was a blur due to her tears, coming out of pure fear, and it was only the fact that she knew that she'd die if she slowed down that kept her going.

Then someone was grabbing her arm, luckily at where her sweater would protect them, and pulled her forward. She couldn't see who it was, black smoke was rising everywhere, making it hard to breathe, but she could hear familiar clanking footsteps, and the hand grabbing her arm was completely made of metal; Colossus!

He pulled her out through the door and closed it. Outside was Wolverine, the professor and Cyclops. Logan immediately grabbed her and checked for damages while Mr. Summers looked at Colossus;

"Are there any more in there?"

Piotr nodded;

"John, Warren and Bobby."

The leader of the X-men got a stern face and started to walk closer to the door;

"We have to get them out!"

But the professor stopped him;

"No Scott, it would do no good. John is calming down now, but they need some time before we interrupt."

Inside John's energy ebbed out when his target was gone. He pulled back all his precious flames from the surroundings; otherwise someone might get hurt…

He then turned and looked at his friends, Bobby still in the bed, only now with a shell of ice around him and Warren, who was still on the floor. Good, none of them were hurt. With an almost teasingly easy movement a flame appeared in the air, blew up the ice-shield, and let its master through. He carefully picked up the Angel, assuring himself that he wasn't hurt. With soft movements, as if the mutant in his arms was made of glass, he put him down on one of the beds, folded his wings against his back and pulled up the covers. There, now he almost looked as if he was asleep…

He could hear Bobby opening a window in the background, maybe the smoke was irritating him…

John felt how tired he was, so in one movement he gave Warren a soft kiss on the forehead and climbed up in the bed next to him. Laying down he held his friend close in a comforting hug, not caring about the little voice a the back of his head that told him that the other mutant maybe didn't needed any comfort anymore. The way John felt now he might as well die himself, yes, that would be good…dying here with Warren, sleeping forever in a room of white sheets and broken glass… what a peaceful end…

_

* * *

_

Aaaand there we stop (I know, I'm evil...)

_Now don't kill me, but I once again want to know; how do you want this to continue; death or happy ending?_


	16. A cure?

_Now I'm accually going to be so evil that I don't continue the scene inside the "hospital-room", instead you'll see what happens in the meanwhile._

_I know it's short, please don't be mad..._

* * *

In Rogues bedroom was Jubilee and Kitty still standing, staring at the door where their friend just had busted out when Kitty told them what she had heard when she sneaked down and followed the boys to the hospital. Jubilee sighed, what a mess! She sat down on the bed, shaking her head, while Kitty took place next to her;

"Now what do we do?"

When Kitty didn't answer Jubilee looked at her. The other girl had lifted up one of Rogues big puffy pillows and revealed a paper under it. It seemed that their friend had tried to hide it so that nobody would read it…then they shouldn't either, it was probably private…

Smiling like kids on Christmas and giggling a bit they opened and started to read.

Slowly their faces turned from excitement into disbelieving and in the end chocked.

They looked at each other. This wasn't just some any-day-rumour, this was serious! They had to tell the professor, now! Or at least some of the teachers, they had to know this!

They both darted towards the door as one being, Kitty grabbing her friend, not bothering to open it. They ran through the corridors, darting into the professor's office only to finding it empty. Not bothering to complain they hurried to the next one, where they luckily found Storm, correcting some poor students test. Trying to catch their breaths Kitty held out the paper to their teacher with a;

"…found…in Rogue's room…"

Storm gave them a suspicious look before reading the paper. She kept her serious face, though it grew more and more tense, and in the end she stood up;

"Thanks a lot for telling me this, now go back to what you were doing and I will find Charles and speak to him…"

With that she walked out, leaving the two girls at the desk.

When she didn't find him at his office she sent out a "mind-message", trying to get into contact with him;

"Professor, where are you?"

"At the hospital, is something wrong?"

"Yes, and very urgent! I'm on my way!"

"Good."

A lot of students turned their heads in surprise as they saw their teacher running by, but that didn't bother Storm. Stupid girl not to tell them, didn't she realise how dangerous this could be?!

When she arrived at the lag/hospital she faced a little confusing scene; Scott was phasing back and forth at the door, and under the watch from Piotr Rasputin Logan was trying to reason and comfort a Rogue that was crying and pushing him away, not wanting him to touch her. No wonder, Storm thought. The professor gave her a wondering look because of that, but she just took a deep breath and handed him the paper. She got a scared wondering look from Rogue at the sight of the paper, and she gave the girl a look that confirmed her worries. Rogue let out a little gasp and stared at the professor, new tears rolling down her cheeks.

The old man however for once didn't try to comfort his student. Instead he read the paper with a more and more concerned look, and after a while mumbling;

"I don't believe it…"

Scott stopped his phasing and looked up at the professor's voice, and Logan quit with his attempts to get an explaining word from the girl to stare at the man. Scott was first to opening his mouth;

"What is it?"

The professor never took his eyes of the paper;

"It says…"

He lost himself again, putting his chin in his hand and continued to read, and reread. Instead Storm picked up where he quit;

"It says that the "cure" (she almost spat out the word, and Rogue twitched a bit at it) isn't really the cure they made it sound like. It's more like a drug!"

Everyone but the professor stared at Rogue, who was sobbing worse than ever. But Storm didn't mean to stop there;

"Just like with the mutant-child they took it from, this is not permanent. When then boy leave the area, you are free to use you powers again, and just like that the "cure" leave your system after a while. At every third week you have to get a new dose to continue to suppress the mutant gene. This was delivered with the letter, according to this." She pointed at the paper in the professors hand.

Scott looked from the letter to Rogue;

"Is this true?"

Rogue let out a whimper and nodded, hands pressed against her mouth. Storm continued with a voice hard as a stone;

"And you have been taking this ever since, even though it says that it is potentially dangerous and maybe already have caused some peoples deaths? Even though it said you'd have to take a bigger dose after a while when you grow used to it? That instead of informing us so that we could help you, you kept it hidden?!"

Rogue just continued to nod, still under the gaze of all the others. Logan then took a suspicious glance at his hands, and confirmed that he indeed had thin red makings between his fingers, scars after his claws, after touching the girl's skin.

The professor sighed and put down the paper in his lap;

"I don't know what to say about this. Rogue, go down to my office and wait there until I come. Not, the rest of us have some other matters to take care of. I would see it clear to enter now."

And with that he started to wheel towards the door; that Scott automatically opened for him. Rogue ran away as fast as she could, leaving it to the teachers to take care of the mess inside...

* * *

_I still beg you to leave a comment and tell me if you want someone to die, I'm open for ideas!_

_I'll soon write again, after allt the tests this week..._


	17. Damages

_I'm working, I'm working, see?!_

_So, where to take this? Still don't know... _

_If you've got any recuests, please send them (you know that you can leave a comment even if you aren't a member, right?) _

* * *

Inside the room it was a mess!

The smell of burned fabric hit the teachers like a wall when they stepped in, and when they looked around more than one of them could say that Rogue had been very lucky coming out alive; beds were knocked over and burned, most of the things on the shelves had exploded from the heat, or been falling down when things further out in the room had been send flying out of Pyro's way. In the roof, and quite far down on the walls, were black markings after the smoke, as well as some burn-marks here and there on the wallpapers, and further back in the room there was still smoke lingering highest up in the roof. At the end, where the three boys were, most of it was gone, dragged out through the window by the freezing breeze from an opened window. More than half of the lights in the room hadn't been able to stand the fire and left the scene in a dim half-light that left the corners dark and send long shadows of all the things and people in there over the floor.

The white curtains in the opened window were moving lazily in the slow wind, sweeping over the boy standing there, who was looking out at the world of black skies and swirling snowflakes. He didn't seem to mind the cold at all, like he couldn't feel it…

Scott Summers started to get closer to him and almost said his name to get his attention, but then his eyes for some reason were dragged toward one of the beds. In there he could see the silhouettes of someone, or maybe two people, lying motionless in the shadows. Stopping himself in the middle of a movement Scott was left on the floor, just staring at what one single mistake, one misunderstanding, one little personal problem or secret could end up like…

The wind outside turned direction and send a couple of snowflakes into the room, that fell down on the floor and melted into tiny puddles, not big enough to catch any light and shine like little diamonds, nor able to remain in their usual white star-shaped form either.

The Professor was the one to break the silence, but it was a prepared break, so no one got startled;

"Bobby, could you please close the window? It's getting a bit too cold in here."

The boy at the window slowly turned and looked at him, with eyes that no longer was blue, not even light blue; they had an icy shadow of transparent white, just like the frozen water that was his element, that was the frame of his soul. The look he gave them was not empty, there were life in his eyes, but in the same time it was a clod look, and there was no emotion to read in his whole face.

The he turned back and slowly, as if almost sadly, closed the window. The curtains stopped their dancing and settled back against the used-to-be white wall, which now had taken a not so healthy shade of grey. Outside the wind continued to blow the snow against the glass, but now it made soft turns in the air and disappeared into the darkness again.

When Bobby once again turned his eyes settled on the two figures in the bed, and Storm leaning over them. She stood up and looked at the others;

"This is not good." She said, looking quite concerned and almost a bit scared.

Beast came up to her side and stared to make a more professional check-up together with Jean, and judging by the look on their faces Storms words were quite matching to their own thoughts.

In the meanwhile Scott came up to Bobby's side, put a hand on his shoulder and stared to move him out of the room. He didn't get that far though, before Bobby simply took a gentle grip on his wrist with a hand so cold that a normal human wouldn't be able to move it, took the hand of his shoulder and turned to once again look at the bed. Scott gave the Professor a questioning look, and he got an answer that even in his head sounded concerned and tired;

"Yes, we have to move them out of here for nursing, but not yet. We must let him go on own free will."

Scott nodded and simply stayed a little bit to the right behind Bobby, just to be there, as he had learned was the best way for teenager-boys. Since he was a teacher they rarely showed their inner thoughts and problems to him, so the best thing he could do was being there without questions, just a presence on their side.

Under the watch from the Beast and Jean Logan slowly and carefully made John let go of his grip around Warren, which took quite some time since he didn't want to hurt the young mutant, nor wake him up. With soft movements and a never-ending patience they finally came loose, and Logan then picked up the Pyro without the word and started to carry him out of the damaged room. He knew, thanks to a quick instruction from the Professor exactly where to bring him, and how to get there without walking into any other students.

After him came Piotr with another young mutant, whose wings now were neatly folded against his back and very lightly held in place.

Following without a sound was Bobby, clearly with his thoughts somewhere far away, and still with Scott Summers close behind.

Last in the parade was the Professor with Jean next to him.

Left in the room was Beast and Storm who watched until the others were gone, and then as if on a quiet signal, started to clean up…

After a while Logan had led them to the examination-room, where he himself had spend some time when they tried to figure out where he came from, more of his mutation, and of course where they had taken pictures of his skeleton. In here it would be even more dangerous to create a mess, but it was the only place left where they could give the boys any sort of medical attention without risking them getting disturbed by other students. Since this was a building for children there were few places with peace at all times of the day, which was just what the boys needed.

Both Angel and Pyro was put in a hospital-outfit and then carefully put in bed. After watching that for a moment Bobby stepped forward and brought the beds closer to each other. He couldn't put them side by side due to some of the machines that Jean quickly had attached to John, but he got them so close he could and then once again stepped back to just watch.

During all this treatment both mutants remained silent and motionless, like a pair of human-sized rag-dolls. When Dr. Grey finally stepped back they had an alarmingly big amount of machines going into their bodies, and after a quick talk with the Professor the bald man left for Ceribro. Though when he sensed the concern that came from Colossus and noticed that the young man was watching him he stopped and turned towards him;

"What happened in the hospital is far more concerning than we thought. Though I think that young Mr. Worthington will recover without any problems it seems like John has gave up on life completely. There is no consciousness in his mind that anyone of us (a gesture towards Jean) can find, we have to use Ceribro to have the slightest bit of chance to bring him back."

Now Bobby turned his head and looked coldly at the old man;

"Why?"

The professor sighed;

"We beleive that it has something to do with the accident with the young Angel to do. When you lose something that important to you and at the same time has a mind that is as fragile as Mr. Allerdyce's it's quite easily turned into more damage that it should have caused. If I'm correct this whole thing only happens because of the thought that his friend might be dead, and he now doesn't want to live anymore. Sure he has more friends around him, but this thing was the one that brought him over the edge. He has lost too much and doesn't find existing worth the pain any more. There have been chases like this before, but not this serious. I believe that Pyro finally realised how he is supposed to stay hidden from us, so now we can't bring him back."

With that he turned and disappeared though the door, followed by the eyes of Piotr. Bobby's had once again settled on the bed which held the person which still meant the most to him, but that he now had let go, that he had sworn not to get close to again…

No one of them realised how long they had been standing there, both in his own thoughts, when Storm came and brought them back to their rooms to get some sleep. She didn't say anything about any lessons or Danger-room-seasons.

The last thing that crossed Piotr's mind before he drifted of to a well-needed sleep was that it was a bit sad that John would miss this morning; there was enough clouds to get coloured by the sun, but the light was still enough to create sharp shadows over the snow. Snow that now was shining so much it almost hurt in you eyes. Yes, John would like it… hopefully he would wake up before the snow got away, otherwise he'd be really disappointed… because he would wake up one day, no matter what the Professor said… and then he could get the Christmas-present Piotr kept in his wardrobe…

_

* * *

_

_There we go, good enough?_

_I'm working on the next one, now that we don't have that much school-work..._

_Happy for any comments!_


	18. Personality in metal

_Now since both of the maincharaters is halfdead I'll move to someone else; Logan!_

* * *

Logan had stayed in the room with the young mutants until everyone else had left. He was a hunter and therefore knew how to stay out of sight.

When the door closed for the last time he stepped forward, pulling out a chair and sat down.

Looking at the both young boys he remembered the last time he actually saw them together. At that day he'd almost done something awful, he knew that, but as the animal he was he didn't regret it.

He sat there on his chair, looking at the two boys. That Angel sure knew his way with people; being here for less than two weeks and he was already stuck in this mess for getting the wrong friends at the wrong time. Or maybe the wrong times had always been there, just waiting for someone innocent like him to jump at…

Sighting Logan's eyes wandered over to the other bed. The little troublemaker looked quite peaceful now; now frowns, no sneering comments, no constant playing with that lighter he loved so much…

Logan looked around, where was the lighter anyway? It wouldn't be a nice time if the kid woke up and found out that he had lost it… Not that he needed it anyway, not now, but Logan knew how important the smallest thing in your life could be. How the smallest piece of metal could give you your only clue to identity, be the only thing that told you that you were someone…

Without noticing it he started to finger on the dog-tag around his neck while he rose up and checked the kid's pockets, and then the floor around the beds, as well as the small tables. No lighter.

They must have dropped it in the hospital, he thought, and immediately hurried of, hoping that no one had cleaned it away yet…

The room still looked like someone had made a mini-copy of Big Bang in there as a school-project, even if half of the room was cleaned of by Beast, who still was busy with carrying out burned and melted beds, and Storm, who with a huge brush made sure that most of the broken glass got of the floor, or at least out of Beast's way. Now that no window was opened (you couldn't keep them opened due to the cold wind, which constantly blew in snow and kept the temperature at -15 ºC) the last smoke were still stuck at the roof.

Storm gave him a look that he didn't answer, he didn't have time. Quickly Logan moved over to the part where he knew that the boys had used.

The beds were gone. The floor was clean.

The few snowflakes that Bobby had let in before closing the door at the Professor's request were smeared out, some of them darker than the others thanks to the ash on the floor.

Logan desperately looked around, maybe it was kicked away in some corner, or maybe it had been put on a table or the windowsill, maybe…

It wasn't. It was gone…

Letting out all the air he had in his lungs Logan leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. What was he doing? He'd never cared about the kid before, why start now? He knew what the boy thought of him, and he knew he'd done nothing to change that. Maybe because he thought things never would change, or because he didn't want them to…

Whatever the reason was, he now knew it had changed. After this nothing would be as it used to, and he could do nothing about it. But why was he doing this? If he continued he would be a part of the things which would create the change. Why didn't he just stand by and looked like he used to, just to later on rush into it, head first, and fight his way through it?

Because he didn't want to.

Something in him wanted to be a part of the change, and he had a feeling that it had something to do with the kid.

Thinking back Logan remembered that afternoon when the Professor made him feel what the boys did in the Angels room after they had flown away from him. Thinking about it he couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed that much, if he ever had. Well, maybe he had laughed, but not in that way. Nicking Summers' bike and ride it as fast as you could was one way of laughing, but that was different. Logan didn't know it, but the feeling of laughing with a friend was completely different from anything he'd be able to remember. It had nothing to do with the life you had lived before, John and Warren was a good proof of that, but you needed a good friend. Not just someone you knew well, that remembered you birthday or knew your favourite colour, but a friend that you reached with your soul. Those are rare, and when you find them you ought to treasure them for what they are, otherwise you might lose them. Real friendship might be the one that grow in time, or the one you find and lash on to at first meeting, that's depending on your personality and way of mind. But the fact is that you'll need them more than you realise, you depend on them more than you'll dare to admit, even to yourself, and in the end it will be worth it. If Logan ever had a friend like that he'd forgotten it, but this event was a hint to that maybe once he had. In a past forever lost and forgotten he might have found one who could mean something to him, but that now was gone. Maybe he once had felt the satisfaction of sharing time, of being yourself, and of not having to worrying about the other having any bad thoughts about you; because you knew that they never would do that to you.

Logan's mind might not remember it, but his soul did, and when the Professor made him feel it again it gave a little sparkle of something in his heart. What ever that sparkle was, it was enough to make him care now. His own friendship might be forever lost in time, but his one was still alive, and he would fight for it to make those sharing it rise once again. His soul knew it would be worth it, that even if he never would be able to feel that himself again he could at least save the boys from the same loss he had suffered himself. He'd probably never realise this, and no one around him would ever be able to tell him why, but he'd still do it.

That might in fact be the reason he and Pyro never got along in the first place. People like yourself do not always become your best friends, despite all sayings. Sometimes they remind you so much of yourself that they scare you. If you, like Logan, have a problem to accept who you are and always run from the truth, someone as similar to him as John would only make it worse. Because John told him the truth, both in words and in actions, and Logan still didn't want to hear it.

His thoughts were interrupted by Storm, who came up to his side;

"If you're going back to the boys anytime soon, can you take this with you? John will probably ask for it." And with that she held out the lighter for him.

Logan stared at it for a moment; that little piece of metal that he came all the way here for, that he gave a so important role, was lying there in her palm, looking as innocent as ever. Grabbing it he thought about just how much the appearance can lie. With any other person in the world it would just be a normal lighter, enough to light cigarettes, or maybe but a paper on fire with. But in the hands of one special person it could be the tool for the most gruesome things. It could torture, kill hundreds of people, or destroy a ten-floor-building with one spark. It could force people to watch as their most valuable thing in life was turned into ashes, melt down all defences and bury you in unimaginable heat. Or it could simply be a little flame keeping friends hands warm in the winter, light candles during a thunderstorm, give comfort…

It could be so different depending on what you asked of it, and only one person (as far as Logan knew) could do that. What is almost useless to one person could be the tool of life for another, and the same thing could in one moment cause destruction just to turn and be the best you could ask for another, you could only decide for yourself which one of the things you should judge it for. Should you crush it for being dangerous or keep it close for help? Most people would destroy it, just like they wanted to do with the mutants, refusing to see how much god things they could do.

Slowly making his way back to the room where the young mutants were kept Logan was so deep in thoughts that he almost forgot to warn him for the people coming. It was their voices that woke him up;

"I understand, and I must say that it is much worrying matters."

"I know, but none the less, it's you choice of what to do."

"Don't worry, we do all we can."

Well, at least Logan could recognise one of the voices; it was the Professor, probably on his way to Ceribro. Why he wasn't there right now was a bit surprising, but Logan decided that the man had his reasons as always. The other voice though was new, even if it sounded familiar…

Then the couple turned the corner and he was face to face with them. The Professors companion was a woman around 30, with short black hair and a fairly good look. But it wasn't that that hit Logan like a bomb, it was her scent. He'd recognise it anywhere, and it never meant any good.

The woman was Mystique!

* * *

_And there we stop, a good place, eh?_

_I'll continue to work, and I'll think I will finish this off soon, before I make it too long and grow bored myself._


	19. Searching minds

_Now on to a chapter that I'm not pleased with at all. But I can't rewrite it, I'm too lazy, and the story need it..._

_So please, be patient, I'll do better, I promise!_

* * *

A reaction as natural as life was Logan's first idea to attack this enemy. Growling he brought out his claws, ready to defend his friends, but the Professor raised a hand and stopped him;

"Logan, I understand if Raven as evil but please listen to me first."

Thinking for a moment Logan slowly relaxed and pulled the razor-sharp pieces of metal back into his arms, but still kept an eye on the woman (who, of course noticed that). The Professor, however, didn't seem to care;

"I understand that you already know who this is, so I'll start explain instead. Raven here has been cured by accident and abandoned by Magneto. She's given us some very important pieces of information about his plans, and she's promised to help us in any way she can."

Logan snorted;

"How the hell are we supposed to trust her? And didn't Storm say that the cure isn't permanent?"

The Professor nodded;

"Your right about the cure Logan and we think that she'll be back as normal in a week or so. However, I can, as the telepath I am, know if she tells the truth or not. If you don't trust her that is fine, but can you at least keep it to yourself since I hope you can believe in what I tell you?"

With that the old man wheeled around Logan and continued towards the door which led to the magnificent room called Ceribro.

Logan continued to glare at Mystique while they in the background could hear the 'Welcome Professor' and the opening and closing of the door…

Inside Ceribro the Professor took his place at the controls, put the helmet on his head and started it. Through the blur of minds that suddenly filled his brain he tried to search for something that felt like magnetism. Not finding anything, as expected, he searched for something that was thinking of it, and not in a way that he'd learned that scientists thought. He found a small trace and took his chance. The potential dangerous mutants Eric had freed from their transportation didn't give him that much information, but a quite good picture of where he was. Hiding until he could strike fast and hard at the humans and hopefully bring them towards the end...

But the mutants Xavier had found didn't know that much about his plans. Instead he found some suspicious thoughts about some mutant Magneto had told them about who could read your mind, and that's why they couldn't know too much…

Satisfied he now began his search for fire. Turning away from the horrid scene of people dying in a burning house he followed every thread he could find. In the end he got his mind on a trace that felt familiar enough and followed up. He kept getting closer, he could feel it, but suddenly couldn't get any further. It was as if a wall of glass stopped him, invisible but still harder than diamond; he'd reached the end of Ceribros power, and John's soul was somewhere on the other side. This was bad. The only people whose minds were on the other side were those of the dead, but still, this wasn't the same. The Professor could almost see John looking at him, teasing him to come closer. But the Professor knew he couldn't, if he broke down the wall he'd leave his body, which only would lead to his own death. The mind of fire was beyond his reach, as close to death as you could get by pure will, and he could do nothing about it!

With a frown on his face Xavier turned of the magnificent machine, put down the helmet and turned his chair. He then stopped to collect his thoughts. It was easy to lose yourself when you had other peoples minds inside your head, and if he used this creation for too long periods he couldn't separate what was his own mind and others a while after.

When he was himself again he slowly got back, out trough the door, past the couple outside, that now was glaring at each other but not uttering a word, and quickly gathered the teachers in his office.

On his way back the Professor had so much on his mind he almost wheeled past his own door, but he caught himself and entered, to find all his teachers there. Making his way over to the desk he didn't say a word before he was behind it, watching is now grown-up students.

The old man then let out a sight;

"This is worse than I ever thought." He once again fell down in silence and looked down at the desk. The teachers knew better than to disturb him, so the room was quiet for about a minute. You could hear students outside the room, running in the building, laughing at friends and enjoying the freedom they had been given at this small place. They didn't know that two of their own right now was laying just a few floors up, both unconscious and one of them close to death. They let life go on and enjoyed themselves in the meanwhile, just as any child should…

Then Xavier looked up at the other people in there, slowly moving his eyes from one to the other. He wore an expression of tiredness and almost hopelessness no one had seen him with before. I made him for once look older than he was, placing more years of work, worries and problems on his shoulders than he'd actually experienced, but probably were to be expected…

"John is beyond my reach, he's passed the line…"

Storm put a hand over her mouth in shock and Scott gave Jean a quick glance before asking;

"Is there no way to bring him back, nothing we can…?"

"No Scott, not this time. Even if young Pyro's heart is so strong that his body have survived his mind has passed on. If he doesn't come back on his own, he never…"

The professor suddenly stopped himself, remembering some thing else; didn't he send Rogue down here before they had gotten into the hospital? But no other minds than the ones of the teachers were in here, he could feel that…

With a suspicious tone in the back of his head he quickly scanned the mansion. The young girl was nowhere to be found! But what did he expect from that little mutant? To run away from her problems seemed to be her favourite way of dealing with things; keep away and take them on sometime when you're strong enough to break it down and take it peace by peace, or when time has made them go away...

Once again the Professor let out a sight, but now more in frustration. He then asked Jean to go and check Rogues room. She just gave him a questioning glance, but could read some of his emotions and thoughts and hurried of. She soon gave him a message in his mind that confirmed his suspicions; she was gone, but had left a note that after many dramatic apologies asked them not to search for her. "This was a task for her, and her only, so she must…" Jean stopped reading, the rest only seemed to be drabbles to her.

"Shall we search for her?" Jean asked the professor through her mind, walking back to the office.

"Since she doesn't want it there is nothing we can do." Was the only answer she got. Jean muttered something under her breath, now the Professor was tired and he'd be worse than a 4-years-old at bedtime, and then thought;

"She wants us to, but she didn't want to write it, it's obvious! She knew how stupid it would sound!"

"Then she could have stayed. I won't move the whole mansion just to keep her out, she can come back whenever she feel for it."

Then the Professor broke the contact and send the teachers of to bed. Logan grumbled something about not being a child, and therefore got the task to show Raven where she could sleep; more grumbles!

* * *

_Not much to say, I'll soon be up with the next one, okay?_


	20. Waiting is horrible

_There, another one done. Not much to say really..._

* * *

The next evening Piotr quickly made his way back to his friends in the examination-room

The next evening when he woke up Piotr quickly made his way back to his friends in the examination-room. He knew how unlikely it was that any of them would be awake, but he just wanted to check…

They lay still, like dead, in the same positions they had left them in. Someone had been in there and placed a chair at a good place, so Piotr sat down on it. He looked at the two boys and realised he didn't know what to think. His mind was all blank. No thoughts, images or memories; he had nothing! All that he had was the thing in front of him; the image of the motionless mutants he'd started to think of as his two best friends (of course John had been there with him for a longer time than Warren, but now when he'd stopped hang around with Bobby they'd come really close…).

Then a great sadness came over him and his shoulders sank down as he put his face in his hands. Was this really what life was like? You get to know people just in time for seeing them pass away? That couldn't be it… But he already missed them so much it hurt! Is was almost like a book or a movie, and this was the great drama-part where all character finally show their right faces without thinking about it. Where you get to know them.

But life wasn't like a movie, because in that made-up world there would always be at least someone having a happy ending, and as it looked now there wouldn't be anyone… John wouldn't find warren on the other side like he wanted to, and here Piotr and Warren would be stuck, missing the person who brought and held them together… Sure people that didn't belong to the story, those in the background that didn't have a place where they'd know what was going on, they might be lucky, but in some way you always loose. Life gave humans the ability to feel sorrow for a reason. That might only be so that they could feel happiness, but in chases like this you really wondered why there was no limit to the sadness, why you could have so much of it so that you, like Pyro, decided the happiness it was created for wasn't worth it. A sorrow so strong that even death seemed better…

Looking up at his friends with an expression he wasn't aware of showed that he felt a complete hopelessness and empty worry of the situation, Piotr turned towards the presence of another creature at the door.

It was Bobby.

He just stood there, with his gaze somewhere between the beds and Piotr's chair. He looked more lost and sad than Piotr felt, and finally the older mutant felt that he could do something. He wasn't much for talking, even if he'd done that more the last few days, his whole mutation told you that he was a man of action. Right now he maybe couldn't do anything for his friends in the beds, but he could at least make sure that not another person ended up like Pyro. Bobby's mind had been through a lot, but more had happened in a few hours in that hospital that most people experience in years; his mutation took away his emotions when he, without knowing it, decided that he didn't want to feel anymore due to all hte pain he'd gone through. He got them back just in time to get a final confirmation to his broken heart, a confirmation that assured him that his loved one wouldn't fix the damage but leave him. He then watched how someone he'd hurt himself almost killed his loved one's closest friend, he saw how a mutant carrying one of the main elements lost control and then sent himself to the grave. He'd seen the only one he really desired in the whole universe he knew about lay down next to what very well might be a dead body and there forcing himself to search the other side for said friend, rather than stay in the world he'd lived in and learned to hate.

Piotr slowly stood up and made his way over to the other boy, who just stood there, not realising that he'd stopped walking when his feet automatically led him to the place where he wanted to be needed. The warm hand on his shoulder didn't startle him, but only made him look up at the person who the hand belonged to. It was someone he knew, someone he knew wouldn't make this worse. Piotr wouldn't send him back to his bed just because he couldn't do anything about this, neither would he come up with comforting phrases that he wouldn't believe in himself. Instead he just led Bobby to a chair that someone had used recently, it was warm, and made him sit down. From here Bobby had ha good view of the sleeping boys. Of course they were only sleeping…

Not bearing to look at that familiar face anymore Booby's gaze began t wander around the room. It was all the white and blank hospital-way. Bobby frowned a bit at that; John had always loved to be around at places where they kept a lot of stuff, things that made it look like home. Like in his own room he only had things he owned himself, even if that wasn't much, and that made the room his. The library was full of books and shelves, and now the mansion started to get Christmas-decorations. But John would miss that. He wouldn't be able to see all the beautiful trees, the fake snow, the crystal-balls or the ginger-cookies with icing, and all because he was stuck here! And he voiced his thoughts in once sentence, the first one he'd spoken in a very long time;

"We need to decorate in here so John will like it when he wakes up."

Piotr looked up at him; he'd been sitting and looking at his feet on a chair at one of the tables. He thought over what Bobby had said, and it made good sense. If John didn't like this when he woke up (and he wouldn't, since it was a hospital) he'd find a way to sneak out. And more likely he'd sneak outside, to see if there still was any snow left.

And if he did he'd probably die of it.

With a nod Piotr stood up and together they walker out to see if the boxes with decoration still were left untouched by the other students…

They weren't.

All over the place were younger and older kids running around, standing on chairs, unpacking and singing Christmas-songs; it was the 1 December, the day when all lessons were cancelled so that the students could decorate the whole house however they wanted. The teachers watched over the whole thing, but didn't help if not asked to, nor interrupted until things would become dangerous (like when some students a few years ago tried to use powers to open boxes and make things fly out).

After some searching the two boys managed to get their hands on some unused stuff and quickly made their way back, ignoring questions about the rumours that were already circulating.

In the room they hung up stuff where the boys would see them the first thing they saw when they woke up. After some hesitation Bobby took the chair and put the mistletoe over the beds instead of over the door. He then stepped down and walked out to the middle of the room to look around.

It was good.

John would complain about that it was too little of it, but they didn't think they'd get away with putting up more…

Now what to do?

All that was left now was waiting…

Days went past in a blur; the kids outside the examination-room lived their lives as they should, with unmade homework, friends and weekends. They were soon rewarded with Christmas-holidays, which most of them celebrated at the mansion, when they went shopping presents, watched movies and lived their lives as they pleased.

Though inside the room time seemed to stand still; every morning Piotr and Bobby arrived to just sit there and wait for something to happen, and then Piotr took the task of making sure that Bobby would get to eat at every meal (even though none of them ever felt hungry, so both of them just poked in the food). Then they would get shooed of to bed by either Storm, Jean or Scott, depending on whoever thought of it first. More than once they both fell asleep in their chairs when all of the teachers thought that one of the others had done it.

It took a little more than two weeks for something to change;

At the 17 December at 18; 03 the machines connected to young Mr. Warren Worthington made a sound that caused everyone in the room to jump;

Jean had just went down to make sure the boys were of to their rooms, she didn't want to repeat the mistake to leave them there the whole night and their minds were so full of worry, sadness and chaotic thoughts that she couldn't use telepathy to find them without starting to cry when she found them. She saw that both of them sat at their now seemingly permanent places; Bobby at the chair at the foot-ends of the beds and Piotr on the one placed at the window. Bobby looked at her with his icy cold eyes when she went past him to wake up Colossus. When she touched his shoulder he opened his eyes and looked at her with an expression she didn't want to seek the reason for. Just when he was about to stand up a beeping sound echoed from a speaker, and the lines going in lazy waves on one of the screens suddenly started to move faster, forming storm-waves.

Jean ran up to the machine with Piotr on her heels just as the Angel started to move…

_Don't kill me for stopping here, I'll put up the next one as soon as I can!_


	21. Awakening

_So, finally we have one of the maincharacters back on stage, good eh? Now at least I know Warren will survive, the rest is yet to find out..._

* * *

Another beeping happily started to sing with the first one, announcing that the mutant indeed was awake, and soon a third followed before Jean had time to turn them of.

As if waking up from a long sleep the mutant in the bed moved at first, before opening his eyes. Staring up at the roof for a short moment caused him to automatically bring up an arm to protect his eyes from the bright light. Finding that it was too heavy to move he just closed them again, hoping that those noises would somehow stop as well, they made his head hurt…

Then a hand was put on his forehead and a familiar voice said his name. Yes, he did remember, that was Piotr, a friend… Warren smiled a bit and cracked one eye half-open to see if he was right. He was. There was his big friend, smiling down at him. Warren grinned wider as he looked around, having memory coming back at the same time. There was Iceman, what was he doing here? It didn't matter… Dr. Grey, fiddling with something going into his arm… But someone was missing. If Piotr was here to see when he woke up, then shouldn't John be here to? Or maybe they took rounds, to let the other sleep, so that he'd never be alone… Because he did care, didn't he… No, Warren decided it was better to ask before he made any conclusions;

"Where is John?"

Piotr sighted, of course the first thing he asked about was where John was, not what had happened to him. Was the Pyro really that important to him that he cared more about what he was doing (which could be anything normal, like eating) than what had almost caused his own death?

Well, truth had to come out at some point, didn't it? So instead of answering the big mutant just made a gesture towards the other bed on the other side of the Angel. The boy turned his head, his gaze still a bit dizzy, and slowly took in the picture of who it was in the other bed. Neither Piotr nor Bobby saw his face, but both could feel how the smile on his face faded away. He slowly sat up, still his head turned away.

When Bobby started to speak both Jean and Piotr jumped again;

"When Rogue touched you, you fainted almost immediately. Then John probably thought you were dead, so he went crazy and tried to kill her. She got out of the room though, and then he just picked you up, put you on a bed and lay down next to you. He's been like that ever since, the professor can't find his soul, it's sort of gone, so he can't wake up even if his body is working as it should…"

He was talking almost slowly and collected the whole time, but Colossus saw that when he got to the part where John "fell asleep" his breath started to come out in small puffs of white smoke, and he could feel the cold breeze coming from his body.

Warren then turned towards them;

"Is there nothing we can do?"

Both of the youngest mutants expected Dr. Grey to tell him what they've already heard too many times, that there was nothing to do. But to their surprise she said;

"There might be a small chance. Since it was because he thought that you were dead the Professor think that maybe your voice can be the thing to bring him back. If you just spend some time now and then and talk to him, he might come back. That has been working on similar chases before."

Warren looked confused, just as Bobby and Piotr, so Jean put a hand on his shoulder;

"But we won't pull that through yet. Right now you need to sleep."

Now it got even more confusing for them, and Bobby was the one to be first with opening his mouth;

"But hasn't he already, I mean, he's been resting for weeks…"

But Dr. Grey shook her head;

"Being asleep and being unconscious is quite different. When you sleep your brain works down all impressions you have got during your time awake. But for that it needs to be working, which it doesn't if you're out of you mind. And his body is still weak and need much rest."

With that she gently pushed the Angel back against the pillows and he obediently closed his eyes. Soon he was asleep, and Jean shooed the other two out.

* * *

_Short, I know, I'll get it better. Soon it will all end and I will pass you attention to someone else._

_Just want to thank JustAnAmateur for all the comments, it means a lot..._


	22. What happened

_I won't bore you out much, I promise. Now Warren (and you) get an update on what was going on in the manison while he and Pyro was "asleep"..._

* * *

The next time Warren woke up only Piotr was there, since Bobby wasn't lucky enough to get out of his room during the night without being caught.

The big mutant smiled at him, and even though he looked tired it was an honest and happy smile. Warren slowly sat up, his body being a bit stiff after lying in the same position for so long. He once again looked over at John, but then quickly changed his gaze to Piotr. It sort of hurt seeing his friend like that because of him, but at least Colossus was awake.

To Piotr's relief Warren didn't ask any more about Pyro;

"How long… I mean, what day is it?"

"It's December, the 18."

"What?! Wasn't it November…"

Piotr smiled;

"You've been in that bed for more than three weeks. At least you didn't miss Christmas…"

Still, Warren looked a bit chocked;

"I haven't bought any presents!"

Piotr almost laughed;

"Don't mind that, you actually have a good excuse, you know?"

Angel couldn't give a good answer to this, so he just looked around at the decorations that hung everywhere. He gave his friend a questioning look, but all answer he go was a;

"Bobby's idea."

The Angel nodded and continued to look, it was pretty nice. Maybe that Iceman wasn't as bad as he'd thought; they'd just seen each other a few times and from what Warren later had heard the other guy wasn't really in his right mind either…

His thoughts was interrupted by a light humming coming from somewhere in the mansion, it almost sounded like at least ten kids were singing all at once!

Looking at Piotr Warren saw that he was smiling, and then of course explained to his friend;

"It's the younger kids singing; this German mutant Nightcrawler came here a few days ago and he taught them all a German Christmas song, Oh Tannenbaum or something. I don't think anyone has a clue on what they are singing, but everyone loves him."

"Really, is he that nice?"

"Yeah, that to, but also because he looks so much like a mutant. Still he never seemed to hate humans…"

When Piotr fell silent Warren didn't ask more, he could feel that the other boy would continue when he knew what to say. And so he did;

"You can't help but to react when you see him. He's all blue, with yellow eyes, a devils tail, three fingers and scars he's made himself all over his body like markings…"

"What?!"

"He's Christian, he says its some symbols of an angel… He had to come here when some humans found his hiding-place and tried to burn him alive, but he never told the kids."

Warren went quiet at the thought of this, and then decided he wanted to leave the subject;

"Is that all that's happened?"

Smiling Piotr shook his head;

"No, but do you want me to tell you all?"

Warren nodded;

"But make it short if it's too much."

"Well, okay then; at the same evening you and John ended up like this Rogue ran away, and she still isn't back. The Professor talked Logan into not go searching for her. He's still here, getting quite friendly with another mutant here, Mystique. Yes, she worked for Magneto before, but now she's with us, and both the Professor and Dr. Grey say she's clear. Many students believe she's in love with Logan and that they are going out. Dr. Grey hates that, and it seems like she and Mr. Summers broke up or something when it turned out she wanted Logan more…

Warren almost laughed at how stupid grown up people could act, but stopped himself since he didn't want to interrupt Piotr (not to mention the mess he was stuck in himself);

"Then, as I said, Nightcrawler, his real name is Kurt Wagner, came here. At about the same time we got even more snow and would be stuck inside if Dr. Grey hadn't been able to move it away from the doors together with Bobby. Now Beast and Logan is helping the students to dig tunnels under the snow to create a labyrinth. Half of the town is without electricity, but we have some mutants with handy powers to help, but everyone complain that Pyro isn't here with his fireballs anymore."

Now Piotr had to think, what more had happened in the past few weeks? Oh, yes;

"And then the Professor gave the information he found out about Magneto's hiding-place to the government and they took out almost half of his team. Now the rest of them are gone, and we have no idea of here they are."

He then fell quiet, and Warren assumed that it was all. They sat for a moment, and then Piotr stood up;

"I'll go tell Bobby that you're okay, he's been a bit worried, and then I'll bring you some food, you must be starving."

Warren thought of it and discovered that he was quite hungry indeed, but it had gone so far that he almost didn't notice it…

"In the meanwhile, here."

Piotr took up something from the floor and put it in one of the tables that had been left empty when the machine on it had been removed when it wasn't needed anymore since the patient was awake. It was a candlelight, a red one for Christmas.

"I thought that since you'd try to get John back you could use something else he liked to. And keep playing with his lighter somehow seems wrong when it's not him doing it…"

Warren nodded, there wasn't really anything more to add, and Piotr left with a nod.

Sitting still for a moment the Angel tried to think of something to say. How did you have a conversation with someone who might as well be dead? Just to not force himself to think more of that he reached for the lighter at John's bed and put a little flame at the top of the candle. He watched as the white bond in the middle grew black and burned, and how the red melted at the heat. This was really how their Pyro was; fiery and hot-headed on the outside, but burned and scorned on the inside. But deeper down he still had a part that was hidden, that still was white and untouched…

Warren put the candle down so that he could see both that and his friend right behind it;

"It really feels unfair, you know. You complained about not being able to play in the snow to me, remember? Now there's more than ever of it, but neither you nor me can get out there. And now it's almost Christmas… come on now, you have to see what they've done with the room, Piotr and Bobby decorated it, it's so beautiful; you have to see it…"

Warren felt a lightning of pain in his heart when his pleads fell on deaf ears, but he wouldn't give up;

"Just open your eyes and take a look… Please, just for a second…"

His throat grew thick and no more words came out, just a hiccup as he clenched the sheets and closed his eyes hard so that no tears would get out. This was the first time he was awake and alone here, the first time he was put in this silence. In an almost childish gesture he pushed the candlelight closer to John, until it was almost at the end of the table.

Nothing happened.

Sighting the Angel looked down at his hands, resting in his lap;

"Now what do I do? You don't want to listen, do you? You just want to keep on dreaming, 'cause in the dreams you have it all… Why can't you stay here, you could have a lot here to? You don't need all of it. It's just like with those toys you get as a kid, hardly anyone of them was as good as you dreamed of. It that what you worry about? That we won't be as good as you want us to be? I don't know what you want from us, but I promise that all of us try. We think you deserve it, you know. You're always there for us, so we'll do the same for you."

He looked back at the other mutant. He hadn't moved.

* * *

_Ha ha ha, no telling if John is dead yet! Just wait, it's soon comming._

_Oh Tannenbaum (Oh Christmas-tree) is a German Christmas-song, yes, but I don't remember much of the lyrics. It shoud be easy to find though, since it seems pretty popular..._


	23. Extra Bonus

_A little extra chapeter about what happened between Mystique, Wolverine and Jean Grey (why the hell doesn't she have any nickname?! Phoenix doesn't count since it's some sort of second personality!), just because I wanted to write it._

_If you just want to get on with the main-story you can skip this, it has nothing to do with it!_

* * *

Jean Grey was furious.

And anyone around could tell it wasn't a good thing, neither for those who got in her path or the one who caused it. But the one who caused it had just walked out through the door.

She felt a temptation to simply use her powers and force him to come back, but something stopped her. Instead she turned on her heel and marched out.

Whispers immediately began to erupt from the room she'd left, but she was too much into her own boiling mind to care. How dared he?! It was all because of her, that little bitch! Never, not even in her wildest dreams, could she even get the idea that this would happen!

Back at after their first mission with him he'd said his heart belonged to someone else, and now he said he hadn't meant her! That it had been that other little slut all the time! How could he ever believe that she took all their flirting for a joke like he did?! And he said Scott knew, oh shit…

She marched down into the garage and took one of the cars there. She then took of for a _long_ ride. She knew that the Professor could sense her anger and let her be, and he also knew that she'd be back sooner or later; she could never really leave the mansion…

Logan leaned against a wall when he was out of sight for anyone. That was close! He'd never seen Jean so angry in his whole time here, what the hell was that all about? He just told the truth, she said that it was what she wanted to hear! He could never imagined that she was so sure about what the truth was that she'd be upset when she found out it wasn't. She was a telepath, for Gods sake! She should have known what he meant with all that!

Now he heard that someone was coming, and judging by how close they were without him noticing it had to be her…

Oh, yes, it was. Walking up to him in a way that both was teasing and, unknowingly, gave away how well trained her body was, Raven walked up to the man with a concerned look. She stopped in front of him with her arms crossed, not saying a word. She knew well enough how to get men to talk.

Logan sighed and got of the wallpaper. This was just what he needed; a person that almost was like him. It was surprising even to those two how well they got along, but they did. But Logan was right in that they were alike; both of them had put their past behind them. Mystique maybe hadn't forgotten, but she acted as if she had. Logan had forgotten, and after Alkali Lake he'd decided he didn't want to know about it.

Now they both could joke about the first time they'd seen each other, how they had beaten each other up, and how equal they were. The fact that they were had in no time at all bloomed up in a friendship; starting with "training" (where both of them really just wanted to beat the other up), going over to jokes with less violence and more fun, to end up here, where they were talking and spending more time with each other than some (Jean Grey for example) could tolerate.

Logan just shrugged at her and Mystique accepted, he'd talk when he'd found the words.

They started to walk down the hall that they both could tell would be empty from students, Logan still deep down in his thoughts;

How the big fight with Jean had started he really couldn't remember, but it had something to do with something he'd said that he now couldn't remember. She'd said it was when he woke up after their first little confrontation when Magneto got some stupid idea of turning the world's leader into mutants, when he'd given all his healing powers to Rogue. He had a vague memory of thinking back at a blue figure that actually could beat him, and he wasn't stupid, he knew who it was. And since he still was dizzy from the unconsciousness, he might just have cracked something like that…

Logan didn't want to admit it, but he already then had developed a strong attraction to the woman. How her agility, strength and fearlessness had hit a spot in him he didn't even knew he had. But only in his most confused state he'd admit it.

Now they could get along as friends, but only one of them could admit that they liked the other more than so, and as it was now, Mystique wouldn't push him. She had enough on her mind.

Sure, she knew Eric hated humans, but she wasn't one! She wasn't! Still, he had walked out on her like that, leaving her in a truck with no chance at all to get back to her own kind. Now she finally could see how stupid and blind she'd been, lying to herself every day. As soon as you weren't of use for him, he'd throw you away, like a child with a toy. Sure, she wanted mutants to get their part of the world, but now she fully could see how wrong their way to that had been. Unlike most people, Mystique now could see, not only how two, but three sides in a war saw things. She could feel the humans fear, how confused they were, and how their nature told them to get rid of whatever it was that put them in danger, since they couldn't flee from it. She saw how the Brotherhood forced their way through, leaving a trail of death behind (dead people won't stab you back when you walk away), how they had lost all hope of a world where they would be allowed to live at all. So they tried to create a world where they could live for them selves. But now she finally also could see how the x-men and Xavier were thinking; that people from different cultures had learned to live together before and hopefully could do again, if they just could give each other a chance (the very chance they wanted from the others).

They continued to walk straight forward until they reached the balcony that gave them a beautiful view of the back yard. Walking up to one of the rails overgrown with ivy and now as well covered in snow they both leaned against it, not looking at the other.

While Mystique spend her time twisting and turning the point-of-views of all the parts in this fight for survival, Logan once again tried to reach into his own head and break down the walls in there. Some of them were too strong and he didn't even care to try his strength on them. Now he was looking for the one hiding another truth from him, one he hadn't cared much about before; his feelings. He knew he had them, but now he wanted to know why, it started to irritate him. Why was it that he now had the need to protect someone that wasn't even in danger, a need to pull her close just to be able to smell her or to feel her in his arms? Oh no, Logan wasn't stupid, but he was a master of denial. He wanted to find any sort of other reason to this that the one that was obvious even to him.

After finding up stupid excuses and crushing them himself for about half an hour he realised that the very person causing all this had began to shake beside him. The cold was worse to Mystique than to Logan since his mutation didn't allow him to get damaged by it, so it prevented the cold from hurting his body by heating it up, which then caused him not to feel the cold as bad as the woman. But Mystique was stubborn enough not to go back inside, she wanted all the time she could get with the man she loved, even if it mean freezing her ass of.

Logan shock his head at her, she sometimes was just like the students (or the Professor)! He gave her a look that made her turn her head and glare back;

"What?"

"If you're gonna get sick I won't be the one to look after you."

"I'd never dream of asking you to."

Smiling, they both got back inside. Without much of a conversation they decided to get something to drink and take one of the TV's.

Said and done; Logan got one of the beers out of his secret stash (that the Professor only let him keep as long as no students found out about it; he was sure of that if Logan started to smuggle alcohol into the mansion the younger ones soon would learn the tricks). Mystique on the other hand found some tea-bags and made herself something warm.

While waiting for the water to boil, Mystique decided she'd waited long enough;

"So, what was goody-missy-red so mad about before?"

"Huh?"

Logan had been busy with counting his bottles so that he could keep a check on the numbers (may God have mercy on the ones who dares to steal beer from the Wolverine!) and hadn't really been aware of that someone was talking to him before she was halfway through the sentence, and then it didn't make any sense at all to him.

"You could hear how she was shrieking quite far away, and I almost got hit by a flying math. What were you two up to?"

"No idea."

"What?"

"She was the one starting, go ranting about something I said quite some time ago, and I don't even remember saying it. When I told her outright I didn't want to cheat on Summers with her she went ballistic…"

Mystique laughed;

"Well, if you said that out right, it's no wonder she was tipsy! You should be glad you still can walk!"

"Hmphf."

"Yeah, well, she could have twisted the metal on your bones, in that way it would be permanent broken you know. No even your healing power could bend adamantium."

Now Logan was a bit freaked, he'd never thought of that possibility before…

"Hey, how come Magneto never did that?!"

Mystique shrugged;

"Because he saw that you could be useful some other ways, ad he never really put much time in considering you important enough to bother putting out."

"…thanks…"

Smiling, the once blue mutant now poured herself some hot water, cupping her hands around the teacup to warm up her fingers.

"And why would Red ever get to her mind that you waned to cheat with her?

"No idea."

"Really, you that dumb?"

Logan glared at her as they walked out of the kitchen to find a quiet room somewhere.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"That she's been drooling after you for ages."

The blunt answer surprised Logan a bit, but then he shrugged;

"Well, now she knows what I think at least…"

Mystique sniggered;

"Yeah, and the way she sounded it wasn't good for her."

Logan smiled and shook his head.

Since it had gotten pretty late most of the kids had went of to bed, so it wasn't too hard to find a room where they only had the other to fight with about the remote. After almost spilling beer on the sofa and tea on the remote itself they settled on an old movie they both had a vague memory of.

Soon the cold and tea took out its right on Mystique and she fell asleep, wrapped up in a blanket some kid had left behind. Being inside helped her a bit, but it was mostly thanks to the heat she got from the other person in the quite small sofa that she kept her heat.

And as everyone probably already know; if one starts yawn the other soon start as well. Logan found his eyes getting heavy and got himself in a comfortable position in an attempt to wake up, but soon enough he was breathing heavily.

Mystique was almost brought up from her slumber when a strong arm wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her closer to a warm body next to her. She woke up enough to realise what had happened, but not enough to care that much. She just snuggled into the sleeping mutant, being as happy as she could by the moment, and going back to her dreams.

It would take quite some time for Logan to realise, but this was the first night for a very long time that not even the hint of a nightmare disturbed his sleep.

On one of them noticed that while a smile creped up on the woman's face her hair slowly turned brighter, from black to brown and then moving on until it an hour later wore a bright shade of red…

* * *

_So sweet that you almost get holes in you teeths XP... oh well... _

_As I said, nothing of the main-story here, just something I felt for writing._


	24. Running out of ideas

_Thanks for keeping up for this long, but I promise, soon it's over..._

* * *

After talking to on one for about 20 minutes Warren ran out of things to say. He lay down and tried to think, but that only made him sleepy. Instead he sat up and tried to get up and take a walk on the floor. He discovered he could hardly stand, his legs were shaking and he had to sit down on the bed again, since his arms were just as bad and didn't offer any support. He turned to John;

"Now you would be laughing at me. I guess that lying down for so long gets you muscles to forget how to work…"

He got up on the bad and sat there, cross-legged. Then decided he was tired, so he put out the candle (his father had always nagged him at Christmas about not leaving burning lights unwatched) and lay down. It felt kind of good being there, and not being trapped under all the blankets…

It had taken some time for Piotr to come back, he knew that, for Bobby had gotten a wired thought in his mind and taken a stroll outside barefoot. So it first took a while finding him, then to getting him back inside, and then to tell him what had happened. After that he went down in the kitchen and made a light snack. He remembered what you could eat when you weren't feeling well after looking after all the kids that got sick here all the time.

After getting all that done and sneaking out of the way for some teachers, he finally was back.

Well, that's great, now Warren was asleep. And the silly one didn't even have a blanket! Sighting at this Piotr put away his tray and lightly began to move the Angel of from the cover so that he could put it over him. Warren stirred a bit, but didn't wake up, so then Piotr once again sat down to wait. He could smell that the candlelight had been used, and he saw it on one of the empty tables.

A fond smile creped up on his face, now he was back where he loved to be; making sure that those he loved were feeling well, were cared for, and out of danger and harm. He'd always been the one to take care of others, but lately when he'd just been around the two boys as friends he hadn't had that much to do. Now he finally could show them what they meant to him, how much he cared. It wouldn't be in a way they'd notice, it would as always be in the background, giving them the support they needed to get on going.

Therefore he now waited patiently the 45 minutes Warren was sleeping, smiling at him when he woke up, and shaking his head when he gave John's bed a questioning look.

He watched as the Angel with a determinate look once again lit the candle, pushing it so far towards John he could with some safety still in mind. He then turned to Piotr;

"Even if he doesn't wake up I still think he'd like some company, right?"

Piotr nodded and debated with himself if he should give Warren something to eat or if the food had turned bad.

The Angel wasn't that focused of eating for the moment though, he once again started to comment out loud what the thought about the decorations, describing in details the ones he though John would like the most. Soon Piotr tagged along, telling the still pale, unmoving boy about how much snow there still was out there, the was the mansion looked by now and what everyone else were doing. That they all missed him, how the youngest students asked for the funny fire-mutant, and how the teachers weren't able to come up with a good excuse…

Days passed by, even if Warren couldn't tell how many. He slept when he was tired and talked with John when he was awake. There was no watch or any windows in there, so he could never tell how long time that has passed, what time of the day it was, or for how long he'd been passed out. By now he'd tried everything to get his friend awake; normal conversation (like he always was told by his father he was doing with his old teddy bear), joking, asking questions, arguing, swearing, shouting, muttering, blaming, apologising; he couldn't come up with more!

After having Kitty sneaking around the other students finally found out where he and Pyro was, so every now and then he could wake up and find some company waiting for him. Those who came most recently were though Piotr, Bobby, two girls he learned were called Kitty/Shadowcat and Jubilee, and they often dragged the famous blue demon Nightcrawler with them. They didn't stay for too long, they didn't want to tire him out (the fact that he wasn't allowed to leave the investigation-room for his own proved that he still was in pretty bad shape), but Warren appreciated what they did. For all the time he'd spent on the mansion he'd only had John and Piotr, but he had noticed how other people whispered to each other and glanced at him all the time. He didn't understand why and when he asked Jubilee about it she didn't want to answer, though she assured him that he'd done nothing wrong. He guessed it just was because he was new; he couldn't remember how it was to start a new school since he'd been taught at home since he was twelve and his mutation appeared.

Kurt quickly became a good friend of his; the older mutant was really fascinated by his wings and they spend long time together just talking. It was reassuring to talk to someone who had such a strong belief in that it was someone who always looked after you, someone who always cared. Nightcrawler was there whenever he could after being given the allowance by the Professor to keep an eye on them, and he gently brought the Angel back from even the hint of a depression this sort of experience easily could turn into. This affected Bobby as well and he slowly came back to his usual self, the way everyone remembered him.

And it was during one of those times, when he just sat there, surrounded by people he'd started to really rely on, that a few words uttered by one of them crushed everything;

The evening before Christmas Nightcrawler had just left to see what the Professor called him for (probably to ask him to dress up like Santa Claus, if Piotr was right), leaving a dark cloud of some sort of weird smoke behind. Jubilee waved her hand in the air to get rid of it (almost hitting Bobby who sat on the foot-end of Warren's bed), but she smiled at the same time;

"Honestly, do any of you have any sort of idea what this smoke is? I mean, if it is some part of himself that he leaves, then he'll end up like nothing if he continue like that!"

Warren laughed and Piotr smiled, when suddenly Kitty came in, running right trough the door (it had given Warren quite a shock the first time she did).

"Hi, Kitty, what's up?"

Jubilee was smiling when she said that, but soon enough her happy face faded; Kitty's cheeks were covered in tears and she looked really scared. Quickly getting up, Jubilee put an arm around her friend's shoulders;

"Hey, tell us what's up?"

Kitty took a hard grip on her friend's jacket;

"The Professor…I heard him…he said…"

She obviously had run the entire way from the office and now had problem catching her breath, so Jubilee tried to calm her down, but Kitty would have none of it;

"Okay, now you just breathe and…"

"No Jubes, I heard him! He says it's no use anymore! They've tried everything anyone can come up with; and nothing works!"

She swallowed, took a shaky breath and spoke again;

"He says there is no use anymore; there is nothing left to do. John won't wake up, so they'll plug out the machines that keeps his body working, since he won't come back, since now it's hopeless…"

She burst out into new tears, hugged by a shocked Jubilee, who stared with wide eyes at the other two…

_Now I'll go hiding for a while, since I'm sure that some people out there really want's to kill me..._


	25. Why do you try to explain?

_I'm such a wipm I'm already giving up, I don't want any more evil rewievs!_

_But I'm still going to be evil..._

* * *

The silence was only broken by Kitty's sobs; the rest of them seemed too shocked to do anything. After a few seconds Piotr did what was the most natural to him; check how Warren was. He sat there in the bed, paler than ever before, staring of into nothing.

When Piotr rose from his chair there was no reaction at all from him, but when he put a hand on the Angels arm he suddenly took in a sharp breath between his teeth's. His eyes widened even more and tears began to creep out of them, rolling down his cheeks, without him noticing.

Alarmed Piotr put his whole arm around the mutant's shoulders, he was all stiff! As the friendly soul he was he put his other arm around his friend, hugging him from the side. Slowly Warrens hand rose and took a grasp of the arm crossing his chest. His nails dug into the flesh, but Piotr didn't move nor did he make any sound. Instead he watched as Warren's head first fell forward as he heard him taking in even more air, then go backwards as he opened his mouth and let out a scream that echoed through the medical room and was heard out in the corridor outside. It was far from human, but it still held a heartbreaking sorrow in it. It gave a little clue to that is wasn't an angel that Warren's mutation was turning him into, it was some sort of animal. But no one would be able to tell what and right now nobody cared.

The sound of the scream only made Colossus hold his friend even tighter as the younger one emptied lungs big enough to be able to bring him enough of oxygen to breathe even above the clouds. It drowned the whimering sounds from Kitty and the sobs from Jubilee, it cut out the surprised gasps from Scott and Logan when they arrived outside, send there by the Professor, who had sensed what Kitty had heard at his office, it stopped the Professor from searching further into his mind to try to bring comfort. For a moment, long as years and on, but really only reaching a span of about a minute, the sound of a cry from the death of love was all that could be heard.

But then, at last, the breath of pain died out, the sound faded away and was replaced with a ringing silence. For a moment nobody dared to make a sound; the silence was over them like a roof of glass; one little vibration could send the broken fragments of it down upon them, cutting, drawing blood, and causing even more pain. Instead they waited for someone else to break it, someone else to take the blame for crushing the invisible crystal and getting their hands sore.

Moments passed by, some short like seconds, others long as a life, but in silence they waited.

Then at last, the soft sound of a door opening automatically broke the curse, and pulled away the thick blanket that dried away any attempt of movement.

The scene that the two teachers were met with told them all that they needed to know. They got quick instructions from the Professor of bringing all of them but Warren and John (who both still had to remain in bed) to his office, and they immediately did as told.

It was no problem to get the girls out, so Logan quickly was on his way back, getting both his arms soaked with tears and taking the first wave of anger that Jubilee's chocked sorrow quickly turned into.

Left in the room was Scott with Piotr, who had taken the roll of comforter to Warren, and Bobby, who as well seemed pale and almost colder that ever before. He slowly got closer, debating what he should do. When he got about three steps away from the bed though, he suddenly had the coldest and most hateful gaze he'd ever seen upon him; Bobby's eyes were at the same time as cold as ice and as dead as it, but now more alive than ever. A sort of frozen fire danced in his mind, mirroring itself in his glare. Scott immediately saw that he wasn't allowed to move closer, and he knew that against this mutant he wouldn't stand a chance. It didn't matter if he was the teacher, the oldest and the one with most experience of battle; now he was facing a creature that had lost everything and had the power of the arctic in its mind. He could see that this young mutant didn't mind turning into a murderer and paint his crystal ice with blood, just as long as he could make sure that the one he'd set himself to protect would stay safe. He'd fight for his friend, his love, for he was the only one that was worth caring about.

The ice-mutant stood up on the floor, surrounded by something that glistened in the light of the room, almost as if he was standing in a light mist, but Scott knew better. He knew that is was the water in the air around him that froze by the pure presence of the boy.

A frightening thought appeared in Scott's mind; if Bobby could be called a boy, for a man he sure wasn't yet, then he still was a child. A matured, grown one, but still a child. People talk about how horrible some young ones are treated, but most of them forget that teenagers sometimes want to go back to that time, simply because the pretence is even more painful to them. He was now facing a child, one that once had been carefully watched as he tried to eat all by himself, taken his shaky first step, welcoming guests at his birthday, painting eggs at Easter, and all the time with his proud and loving parents encouraging and supporting him. He'd been happy once, but now he was one step from loosing the very last one he believed cared about him. All those people who laughed with him as a child and played with him now had forced him out of their lives, out of their hearts. But in some parts of his mind Bobby still was a young boy giving paintings to his mother after school and making waffles with his uncle on Saturdays. That little child had gone with him when he left his parents home, to never return. That little child had heard his brother call him a monster, his mother blaming herself for having a freak in the family, and his father, who once gave him piggy-back-rides in the backyard apologising for what his son was.

Wounds like that never heal, not even time can do anything about such. All it can do is numbing the pain, putting a scab over the hurt area and taking away all feelings from it. But if that continues for too long your whole soul will be covered with hard bits of drained blood and more and more of it will turn unfeeling to take away the pain. John was right when he said that it only will be harder to trust again after being wounded like that, and if it keeps on you will soon turn into a monster with no feelings or sympathy. In the process you also get a harder time daring to be happy and to love again.

This flashed thought the chocked teachers mind in the matter of seconds and as soon as his gaze focused again he looked at the being standing on the floor.

Then he suddenly saw how Bobby's eyes grew darker and how he sank down into one of the chairs, leaning back against the back-support and closing his eyes.

Then the Professor spoke in his mind;

"It's safe now Scott, he's asleep."

Slowly Cyclops now approached the both mutants who he was supposed to bring back.

Piotr felt that someone entered his mind and then how someone spoke with something that was meant to sound calming;

"It's all right. I will put the young Angel to sleep, so you can come with Scott down here. I wish to talk to you before we get anything decided."

Moments after he could feel how the stiff, shaking body in his arms relaxed, and when he looked down at his friends face it was calm and peaceful, even though you still could see the tear-streaks that went down his cheeks. Putting his blond head on the pillow Piotr carefully pulled up the blanket and stuffed it down along his sides, then turning and picking up Bobby. He than calmly followed his teacher out of the room, knowing that if he felt the need to go back and check his friends again all he had to do was walk out, it wasn't as if anyone could stop him (the Professor knew what sort of challenge he was up against if he tried to force the big mutant, he had a simple but oh, so strong mind and will)…

In the office sat Kitty and Jubilee already in a pair of chairs that Logan had pushed up next to each other so that they could be next to their friend and to comfort each other. Kitty was sobbing into a napkin her friend had gotten out of her pocket, and Jubilee was giving the Professor a big piece of her mind;

When the other three came in Scott stepped aside next to the door, but Piotr only kept on walking until he reached the other chairs in front of the desk so that he could Put Bobby in one and sit down in another, all while the voice of a female told all that wanted to listen what sort of an person she thought her principal was;

"Oh no, you shut up! Stop coming up with ridiculous excuses that on one want to hear before I'm done! But that's all you are, isn't it; all talk! You can't even stand for what you just have said, you must excuse, you can't even take the blame for it! Man, you're such a coward! All of you are!"

Jubilee was almost screaming, but her voice broke when she was crying too much. Piotr put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, but then she turned to him;

"Did you even hear that; he tells me to calm down and listen, he didn't even want to let me speak! He only comes up with excuses, can't even stand up for what he's doing, and he doesn't even…"

She gave up, crying in both anger and sadness. Gently, Piotr and Kitty got her down in the chair again, and then all three of them looked at the Professor. If he ever could come up with anything that could justify what he'd said, now was the time to speak.

A sight came from the old man;

"Thank you all for giving me a chance. Now, the reason I called you here is because of what you Kitty by mistake heard me say. By any means I will fight for saving the life of anyone I can, you know that much. But now I really can't see any way out. We've tried any method known to bring John's soul back, but he's refusing to. It has been almost a week since we stared trying out the last and most desperate way of all; having his friends talking to him. But nothing has worked. That person we speak of, who is lying up there, is nothing but an empty shell. His body is kept alive only because we refused to let him die as he wanted to, but the longer time that passes by, the smaller is the chance to bring him back. As far as I can see we could have lost hope days ago, weave already passed the time when it should be possible to get him back…"

"Shut up! Why can't you just shut up?! We don't want to hear that, and you know it! Stop your ranting, there is still a chance, he will come back…!"

Jubilee's temper had once again gotten the better of her and she was once again standing, but now crying with her hand over her mouth;

"… you'll see, you wrong… John will…"

But the Professor just shook his head;

"He won't."

* * *

_Told you I was evil..._

_Don't worry, the next chapter will be up in a few days, and that will bring a final answer..._


	26. Stop the machines

_I won't_ _write anything interesting here, since I don't think anyone will read it..._

* * *

Time passed by in the room, no one there to count the minutes. After some time one of them started to move, opening eyes, sitting up again.

Warren looked around; the room was empty and dark, except for the candlelight, which still was burning on the table. The melted drops had formed a red pool at the foot, and it was just about seven centimetres left of it. The little flame put a bright spot in each eye of the boy when he looked at his friend in the other bed. Carefully he got up, now slowly putting weight on his legs and finally standing. The beds were so close to each other that it was all he needed to be able to climb up in the other bed. He sat on John's knees, slightly wondering if he would have the same problem as Warren had when he'd try to stand for the first time. But then a lump appeared in his throat when he remembered that John maybe, or rather probably, never would stand up again.

He leaned forward, his face hovering right above his friends now. It was the first time in days he actually looked at the face and now is wasn't just a profile. He just stood there on all four, wings slightly out to keep his balance, taking in the details of the first friend he'd had in years, the first one of his own age that had spoken to him for decades.

"John. Stop that."

The face he'd seen wearing so many expressions was now empty, for the first time showing peace…

"Open your eyes. They'll kill you if you don't!"

A drop fell down on the mutant's cheek, but he didn't flinch at all. Warren knew he was crying, but he couldn't help it.

"Why do you do this? Everyone is here, they are fine!"

He suddenly took a grip on the shoulders of his friend and shook him violently while almost screaming;

"You're so stupid, you know that?! You stay like this because it fits you, but you don't give a second thought about how it feels for us! What sort of friend are you?! Don't you know that you have to let people care sometimes, that you can't just give all the time?! Wake up, you bastard!"

Giving a final push down the Angel tried to breathe while his tears kept falling down on the face that still was like the pale, dead colour of the deepest sleep. Realising he couldn't stop himself from crying, it all just came, he pulled the limp form on the bed up in a tight hug, crying into his collarbone. Pyro's arm hung out on both sides and his head limply fell backwards, there wasn't a move, not a working muscle in his whole body.

Letting go a bit Warren once again looked at his friend. Did he even realise how much this hurt those around him? How much he hurt the Angel? This aching pain in his heart was worse than anything he ever thought he would experience. It hadn't felt like this when his dad put him out of school and he realised he'd never see his playmates again, this was a hundred times worse! Was this how real friendship felt like when it ended? He could never have imagined…

Well, maybe it was a bit more than that, but it wasn't like it mattered, Warren decided as he used one hand to lift up John's head so that he could see the face. Even if it could be more to his feelings no one would ever find out. Who would when the one they were pointed to never would be there?

Bringing up the head a bit more the Angel places a soft kiss on the forehead of his friend, or whatever he now was. Then he put Pyro back against the pillows and, with a hint of a smile he didn't even know he had on his face, lay down himself next to him. Using his own arm as a pillow for himself, his other hand started to carefully push John's long hair out of his face. He always wore it combed back, but now it fell out of place and down into his face. It was really cute, yes; this was also a good way to remember him…

As Angels eyes slowly closed his arm fell down over the chest of the limp body next to him.

If it didn't matter what he felt, he might as well stay here, because it felt good. John would never know…

When Jean showed up in the room a half hour later she was crying, and seeing the two boys sharing bed didn't help either. To make the pain short for herself she stopped in the doorway, using her powers to press some buttons and making the machines stop their humming and the screens to flicker and go black one after one. She then stepped away, turning the light in the room of with a swift movement when she almost ran out.

. . . . . . . . .

Angel woke up with his mind full of shapes made of fire, and the first thing his saw was the candle, shorter than ever, almost dripping down on the floor. Damn it, he'd forgotten it!

He decided he wanted to stay here, sleep here, but he didn't want to die yet. He could just imagine what John would say if he showed up on the other side now, after all the sacrifices his friend had made for him to make him live…

Pushing himself up on one elbow he reached out a hand and put it around the candle and blew, watching how shadows that once was moving like dark monsters over the walls were swallowed by one huge mass of shade.

But then they were back. Dancing shadows, moving shapes, playing chase with the light…

Frowning, Warren once again blew at the candle, but it only flicker and then kept on burning as always. Was he so tired he couldn't even blow out a candle?

Trying one last time the Angel put his thumb and forefinger around the wick, suffocating the flame. The room when dark for a second but when he let go the little fire still was there, small but still alive.

Staring in tired amazement at the little light Warren suddenly noticed another hand that slowly moved into his field of vision. The hand slowly came up to his own, that still was hanging in the air, and took a grasp of it. When the fingers entwined the little flame of the candle rose higher and flickered as if to jump up to the roof. The tip of it formed a small tread that slowly moved in a spiral around the hands, tying them together. The thread was close enough to warm up, but not enough to burn.

Trying to breath properly Warrens gaze slowly wandered to the face of Pyro; the eyes weren't open but his lips had curved into a tiny smile, he was sure of that. And as he kept staring he felt how the chest under his arm rose to take in a deep breath that slowly came out again. The eyelids twitched a bit before cracking open, revealing the brown colour down there. They seemed to have problems focusing, but slowly they settled on Warren's face.

As it slowly dawned to Pyro what exactly he had above him the smile he already wore grew wider and the grasp he had on Warren's hand tightened a bit.

He made a sort of frown and tried to sit up. It didn't really work, so he got help from the other mutant, who now managed to sit next to him, having one arm around his back. It got a bit tricky since John silently refused to let go of Warrens hand, and the fire around it stopped the Angel from really try to get free. Pyro's head leaned forward when he tried to breathe for a second, then he slowly looked up again, turning to his friend.

The Angel was still crying, almost as if he was a girl. He couldn't help but to almost laugh at himself. Pyro tilted his head a bit, seeing the tears, and raising a hand to brush them away. When he did Warren could feel how warm he was, even out in his fingertips, and how the tear-streaks dried away at his touch.

Being satisfied John nodded and then turned his gaze to the rest of the room. He noticed that it was nicely decorated, but also that it was a hospital. He did not remember how he got there, which meant he didn't know the way out. This scared him more than anyone could have imagined, and with an even more frightening look he stared at all the things he was connected to, going in inside his body. With small sounds, as if he was whimpering over having them there and almost was going to cry over it, he started to pull them out, violently and as quick as he could, not noticing that he'd let go of the Angels hand. Warren noticed his scared face and slowly took his arm. Pyro froze in his frenetic ripping of the tools and stared at him, but Warren just slowly pulled out a nail from his arm; John for sure would hurt himself if he continued like that. The fire-mutant sat still and watched as Warren slowly and carefully took away one needle, one sensor, one thing at the time. Then he began to pull away the tape that had held them in place as well, until both arms, the chest and the back of the Pyro was freed from any trail that would tell that he'd ever needed help to stay alive.

Then they both just sat there for a second, until John suddenly decided to pull his friend into a tight hug. Warren was a bit surprised, but soon hugged back. John could tell that this one was different from the one he had shared with Bobby a while back, which told both if them that this was the last. This hug promised about a beginning of something new, that more was about to come, just that you never could guess what.

The Angels wings had been slightly unfolded, they always did that when he relaxed too much, and Pyro's arms had snuck under them. Now he could feel the light, soft touch of feathers on the back of his hands. It almost tickled a little bit. He slowly moved one of his hands to stroke one of them. It was just as soft as he could remember. People often compare nice, smooth things with silk, but this was different. It sure was soft, but not near as cold as silk could be. This was a comforting down which could move over your fingers like warm snow, or they could carry you up into the air, keeping you soaring in the free nothingness that fills up all the space between the earth and the clouds.

Warren of course noticed that John's fingers once again was drawn to his wings, but found that he didn't mind. It surprised him a bit; he had hated it when some other kids had done it before. Sure he had given them permission to, but still… Warren knew that he sometimes was to nice for his own good, but if you were raised to be polite you didn't say no to some things, you just didn't…

But this was good, to both of them. As night passed on for the rest of the house they could stay there. For once they had a moment alone; a moment to repair some of the damage the latest time had given to them.

* * *

_I'm too sentimental for my own good, I couldn't kill him!_


	27. Gather the freinds

_I realy want to apologise for taking so long to update (this heat and my summerjob is killing me!). But how interesting can it be from now on? I let Pyro survive, and that was it for the excitment..._

* * *

The next morning it was Christmas, but that didn't even cross the minds of four young mutants, that now were staying in their respective rooms, trying not to listen to the happy calls of children, the rustling of ribbons and beautiful wrappings being ripped into pieces to reveal a gift inside.

Jubilee lay in her bed, staring up at the roof, at one of the pictures she had put up there. All of the walls inside were decorated with posters and other fun stuff, but the roof was an area for pictures she had taken herself. Photographs covered the part right over her head when she was asleep, and now she concentrated on the one to the right. A sort of gang-thing, where almost all of them were waving and smiling into the camera. That day Kitty and she had dragged most of their favourite people down to the mall. They had eaten there, done a bit of shopping and the watched a movie. Now it was the moment when they got out; Jubilee had ran a bit ahead and taken one picture when no one was aware of it. This one came right after, when they all smiled at being caught in the moment. One person in particular was interesting to her this morning; to the left was John, sticking his toung out, still carrying his popcorn-bag. He had refused to have anything smaller than the middle-sized bag, but then he discovered it was made for two people and that he had no chance to eat it all himself. Instead of sharing it he had carried it all the way home (while complaining about his stomach-ace) and the morning after he put it on the door to the classroom. It was the oldest trick in the history, but Storm had still fallen for it. Since no one had given him away when she asked who it was that did it he'd gotten away with it to.

Smiling, Jubilee tried to take a breath, but hiccupped in the middle of it; she was crying again, her tears falling down the sides if her face, watering her hair.

She sat up as she realised something; they had refused to move Warren before, and he never came to the Professors office yesterday. Did that mean that he still was in there, in the room where they were about to kill Pyro? Just because he was sick, would they force him to watch?! She'd have none of this!

Still wearing her pyjamas Jubilee jumped out of her bed, throwing her covers on the floor. She then opened the door and ran down the corridor, towards the stair to get to the investigation-room. She felt the Professor pick on her mind to ask her what she was up to, and in her mind she kicked him.

That actually made him go away, but also resulted in that she ran into someone when she reached the end of the corridor. A strong hand caught her before she fell, and she looked up to se Colossus stand there, dressed and ready. She didn't need to ask, it was obvious where he was going, so instead of running she walked beside him.

They took the elevator and entered the white, cold-looking floor where they would find the right door.

Jubilee reached out her hand to open it, and took a deep breath (not to steady herself but to keep the sadness and doubts away) before she pushed the button beside it. A soft 'swoosh' could be heard and the blank piece of steel in front of them moved aside, going inside the wall.

The first thing they noticed was that it was dark. The room only had a soft, shaded, flickering glow over it, as if…yes, it was a candle, though it wasn't much left of it.

Slowly their eyes got used to the shades and they saw the shape in John's bed, so they saw when a face was turned towards them;

"Jubilee, Piotr, look! He made it, he's awake!"

The shaky voice of Angel sure was heard, but the words first didn't make any sense to them, how could this be? John was… he was sitting up?!

Both of the mutants in the door only stared at the other face that appeared from the bundle on the bed. It took on a lazy smile and spoke with John's voice;

"Hi."

That gave them back their ability to move, and in just a few seconds they had crossed the floor and were at the side of the bed. There sat John and Warren, alright, Warren keeping his friend up, and both wrapped in John's covers. Both seemed tired, but happy, and neither of the other two could keep the smile of their faces when they took turns in pressing the air out of the poor Pyro's lungs.

When the first confusing chaos settled down they stared to laugh at each other in pure relief, still a bit confused. None of them really knew what to believe, people had told them such different things lately and almost all of them proved to be false in some way even if the person who said it never had lied before…

Then suddenly Piotr fell silent and looked a bit chocked. When Warren asked why he answered with a bit of a shaky voice;

"Kitty and Bobby still don't know. Nobody knows that you're alive…"

For a short moment they just stared at each other in silence, but then Jubilee smiled again and jumped down from her tiny place on the bed;

"Well, then we just tell them!"

Piotr stood up as well (he had been smart enough to use the chair) and once again they walked away with each other, leaving John and Warren alone.

* * *

_Now it's just to gather the threads and end it, right?_

_Anyhow, happy for reviews, as always!_


	28. Hello

_nothing to say, except for that I thought I already had put this one up..._

* * *

When they reached the over floors Jubilee grabbed Piotr's arm;

"I'll go find Kitty, you get to Bobby."

And then she was gone before he could protest. Shaking his head, Piotr made his way towards Bobby's room. Halfway there though he could hear that something that didn't sound good was going on around a corner ahead of him.

When he looked around it he saw a sight he probably never would forget;

The hallway was covered in frost, ice and snow, and in the middle of it was of course Bobby. His eyes was larger than anytime Piotr had seen before, he looked all through insane! The cold he had around his body made the snow at the floor swirl and moved some other things in the corridor around, but Iceman's clothes seemed to be completely frozen. Between Piotr and his friend were a few people, which he recognised as Dr. Grey and Mr. Summers, who tried to steady Storm, who looked like she'd been hit in the head. Behind Bobby were Logan and that Mystique-woman. Right now it seemed that Dr. Grey was the centre of Iceman's attention, since she was the one he had nailed his frozen glare on while she seemed to try to explain something;

"…you have to understand, it was better for him! Now he's…"

She had to stop talking to jump out of the wave of clod air that suddenly rushed towards her, as well as the other two beside her. Piotr ducked away and hid behind the wall, but he saw the ice that moved over the floor where he stood a moment ago. When he once again glanced around the corner he made it just in time to see how Dr. Grey was pushed out of the way by Mystique, who then got hit herself. It was just a small wound, caused by a small splinter of ice, but it was obviously enough to make the Wolverine furious. With an animalistic howl he rushed towards the whirlwind of cold that was Bobby; once again out for a kill.

But he never got that far.

The raising of Iceman's hand was enough, when it created a massive icicle that grew out of the floor diagonally, pointed right to his enemy. Its tip collided with Logan's stomach, broke the skin and forced its way right through him. When it came out on the other side it continued to grow, only stopping when it hit the wall.

A few seconds stretched out to hours, and still nobody could move.

Logan's surprised face slowly relaxed and his body fell down, arms just hanging there with the claws still out, while the ice turned red when blood created a flood out of the body where it belonged.

Piotr's brain slowly realised what probably everyone was thinking; if Rogue could kill Wolverine, then why couldn't a massive lost of blood and a wound do the same, if the wound never healed due to something stuck in it…

A sound, not human, slowly brought him back and he saw how Mystique ran up to the mutant that was literally nailed to the wall. He didn't move when she touched him, nor when she yelled at him.

All of the teachers just stared at them, not noticing that Piotr walked around them to stop Bobby, who once again turned towards Dr. Grey.

"Bobby."

He didn't move, but somehow Piotr knew that he at least got a bit of his attention.

"He's awake."

Now it was just to wait… And sure enough the ice-wind slowly disappeared and the ice-mutant turned around. He didn't say anything, he just looked. The almost white eyes slowly got darker to their normal light blue when he saw the truth in Piotr's eyes.

Not caring at all about what he might have done to the others in the corridor he slowly started to walk away, the same way that Piotr just had came from. Piotr himself just stayed long enough to see Mr. Summers blow the icicle by just glaring at it without his glasses. Then he walked up beside his friend to follow him towards their goal…

Jubilee had to look close to find her friend; as usual when she was sad she was crying, but this time she was so wounded up in her feelings that she forgot her mutation and she was actually _inside_ the bed, only her hair being visible on the pillow. Jubilee searched the whole room before getting the idea of tugging the locks of hair and gaining a squeak from the mattress.

Then all of it slipped through her hand and she could hear Kitty disappearing through the floor…

Naturally Jubilee ran to the door and banged it in the wall when she threw it opened too hard, but she didn't mind. She was too well aware of who's room it was that under this…

After realising she was falling Kitty decided quickly she didn't want to hit the floor and therefore fell right through it. But then suddenly she realised she would reach the final floor, and turned her power of…

The professor looked up a bit surprised when a girl fell down from the roof and landed on the floor with a painful thud. Kitty didn't really seem to care where she had dropped down, since she only stood up in her pyjamas and massaged her aching backside. Then she looked around and realised where she was…

She turned to the professor with a red face, but didn't have time to say anything before another one in pyjamas crashed in, but this one through the door. This made Kitty realise who's fault it was that she had ended up here and she turned around to her friend…

A glare was all she had time to give before she noticed the happy face of Jubilee;

"…what?"

Jubilee grabbed the hands of her friend and dragged her up on her feats;

"HE IS ALIVE!!"

Almost deaf Kitty barely registered which words it was that still was ringing in her ear, but then it dawned on her;

"WHAT?!"

"YES!!"

"TRULY?!"

"YES!!"

Both girls were jumping in lack of anything else to do to get the happiness out of themselves.

But then Jubilee decided to use the energy for something else, and still having a hold of Kitty's hand she ran for the door, bursting out in the corridor and pushing some kids aside to clear the way.

The Professor shook his head; he really had to look though their minds some day, just to know how the hell they worked…

Then he suddenly felt a crash of panic from somewhere upstairs. It was pure chaos, and someone was hurt!

When he chose someone to see through he caught the shockingly sight of Logan slowly bleeding to death! And it was caused by…

"Bobby… What have you done?"

He then wheeled out from behind his desk, deciding that this was it! Now he had to do something about it!

In the medical-room the silence fell down on the boys when the door closed, company gone as quick as it had arrived…

They looked at each other, both a bit surprised about this. But since it was Jubilee it wasn't that weird…

Sitting there they both looked around in the room, not really sure of what to do. John was still dizzy and hadn't said a word; he could almost already tell how rasping his voice would be…

Warren was a bit worried about this silence and the fact that John didn't let go of him. Sure he understood that he needed comfort and that probably meant contact, but Warren's father had been so afraid of his son's mutation that he soon after the growing of his wings stopped with most things that would be called contact. Sure he could put his arm on his son's shoulder, but to hug him would mean to feel those things on his back, and he didn't want that… And Warren grew used this, not once questioning his fathers behaviour.

But now he was stuck here, for he couldn't really bring himself to ask John to let go. Sighting he let his head fall backwards, staring uncaringly up into the roof. Then something green caught his eyes and his gaze became disbelieving, before seeing the outright humoristic in the situation.

John gave his friend a wondering look and followed his gaze to the roof above their beds, where one single mistletoe hung, looking innocent…

John then looked back at Warren, who still looked up at the arranging of leaves, a bit curious of why he hadn't noticed and if it was Piotr or Bobby who had came up with this stupid idea. Honestly, what did they expect would happen…?

Warren might have done a mistake when he looked back at John to crack a joke or something, but one look at his friends face made his breath get stuck in his throat. He realised he actually wanted to… But he couldn't! Now that John was awake they one again could walk around and talk, watching movies and drink chocolate, but it would stay at that. It had to. They were friends, and that was it! He couldn't just expect Pyro to understand…

Pyro himself grew a bit worried when Angel changed expression so fast; first he looked like he would laugh, then he became startled, and now he looked sad… No, Warren shouldn't be sad! Never!

"What's…?"

Well, now they both knew; John's voice cracked and rasped like a crow's and it broke at the first word. There was no water in the room, but Warren's (now probably warm) juice that he had left at breakfast was still at one of the medical-tables. The Angel reached out and took it, giving it to his friend. John swallowed it all in one gulp, spilling a little bit out. Drying of his cheeks with his sleeve he once again tried the art of speaking;

"What's wrong?"

As expected Warren just shook his head;

"I'm fine. It's just that…For a moment I wished that some traditions never were invented…"

John looked up at the mistletoe, wondering if he was right. He wondered if Warren ever had been kissed; if he had been locked in ever since he was twelve he couldn't have gotten any chance, right?

What John did next could be blamed on that he still was dizzy and tired, not really knowing what he was doing. But a more open-minded person would say that he was perfectly aware of it, and that the only difference was that the tiredness made him dare to do what he wanted;

Reaching up with one hand to turn Warren's head to face him, and make sure it stayed there, he slowly brought his face closer to the Angel's, giving him time to both realise what was happening and being able to pull away if he really didn't want this.

But Warren didn't pull away. It surprised himself quite a bit; he knew where this would lead to. But if John was the one starting it…

His thoughts never got any further; when their lips collided everything in his mind was swiftly washed way by the wave of pure bliss that filed up his whole inside. His body felt as if it was filled with light gas and was soaring two hundred meters up in the air…

Without even noticing the Angel slowly brought up his both hands and put them on both sides of John's face, stroking his cheek with a thumb, and slowly kissing back.

John's mind was all a blur; it had been ages since it felt so good just kissing someone! He couldn't remember if Bobby ever had been this wonderful; he couldn't remember at all! He couldn't think, and he didn't care one bit!

When the need of air became too pressing the Pyro pulled away just a few inches, so that he could rest his forehead against Warrens, watching as the Angel's blue eyes slowly opened. Since the room still only was lit by the flame from the candle (that now was burning with an unnatural big flame) their faces was in shadow, but neither cared. This moment was perfect, out of time, and nothing the world would ever get to know. It was their own, something only they had the rights to, and they would keep it that way. They could both read it in the eyes of the other that they would treasure this short time in their hearts, and they would treasure each other in an even more tender way…

When the soft sound of the door broke the silence in the room once again they pulled apart enough so that both could see who it was that came.

* * *

_Happy now?_

_I know this "iceman-thing" is getting old, but I'll end it (I just needed a big reason to, you'll get it in the next chapter)_


	29. What day is it?

_It's horrible how lazy I've become... An my mind and memory is just like a black hole; I FORGOT to write on this story! I know I should finish it before that happens again, but don't put too much faith in me, k?_

* * *

In the door stood Piotr, Bobby, Jubilee and Kitty; all of them talking while walking in. Apparently Jubilee was telling Bobby and Piotr all about how Kitty fell thought the floor and the face of the Professor when the second girl came into the room. Piotr was laughing and Bobby was smiling, but all of them got interrupted when Kitty let out a scream and ran to the bed. She hugged John while babbling like mad;

"And I couldn't believe it, because it all seems so crazy, but I see it, and it's true, I still can't believe it, it's amazing, I…!"

The others arrived and Kitty had to step aside when Bobby wanted to give his share of amazed happiness.

The whole greeting went on for a good ten minutes when Kitty suddenly got everyone's attention with a simple but very loud;

"HEY!"

When she had five pair of surprised eyes on her she figured she could speak in a normal tone;

"What time is it?"

The other looked around, but there was (of course) no watch to check it on. Kitty continued;

"But it is morning, right?"

Now she got nods from all that had been upstairs.

"But… then it's Christmas!"

Now they all stared for about two seconds before another scream echoed through the room;

"WHAT?!"

John looked quite chocked when he stared at Kitty;

"How… How can it be Christmas? I thought…"

Warren smiled;

"We've been asleep longer than you thought, apparently."

John stared at him;

"Longer?!"

"Yes."

"How longer?!"

"Don't know exactly, but it's too late to by Christmas-presents."

With a groan John fell backwards against his pillows and covered his face with both hands, and then he stared to repeat every ugly word that he'd learned through his whole life (half of them he got from Logan, but then the Professor forbid the man to talk in that way since the students heard him). The others could do nothing but laugh at him, and even more when he began to roll back and forward only to fall out of the small medical bed. He almost dragged Warren down as well, since both of them were so tangled up in the covers. The only way the Angel could save himself was to grab a hold to the first thing his waving arms caught; which was Bobby's arm. That, unfortunately, was nothing Bobby had prepared himself for, so he ended up tripping over the bed as well, and almost fall down on the other side to.

Sitting up John began to swear even louder and glare at all his friends, who were just laughing at him.

After catching his breath Piotr stood up;

"You might not have bought any Christmas-presents, but I did, so I'll go and get them."

Jubilee got the hang of the idea immediately;

"Great idea, we celebrate Christmas down here!"

She took a handful of Kitty's pyjamas and dragged her friend out with her. Booby took it all in a slower phase together with Piotr. However, when the two boys reached the main floor they were stopped by a bald man rolling around in a wheelchair.

"Ah, finally you're here. Mr. Drake, you know I have a great patience when it comes to young mutants and their evolving powers, but when they try to kill one of my teachers, and almost succeed, I have to say you've crossed the line!"

He then rolled up to Bobby, placed his hand on the boy's forehead and looked concentrated for a moment. Piotr stared at them, and he could actually see how the colour came back to Iceman's pale face. It all together took about 30 seconds, and then the Professor simply nodded, gave them a;

"Merry Christmas."

And wheeled away. When he was about 20 meters away Booby finally got his voice back;

"What the hell did you do?!"

The Professor smirked over his shoulder;

"I've blocked out a part of your power, a part of your brain. Don't worry, it's not dangerous, but now it won't control you the same way anymore. In time, when you can handle it, it will come back."

He continued down the corridor, and Piotr could swear he heard him mutter;

"I really wish there could be some other way out of this…"

Not understanding what the man meant the Russian just shock his head, and he and Bobby continued up to their rooms to get the presents they'd kept hidden in Piotr's wardrobe. Although he didn't mention it Colossus could tell that his friend seemed much happier and all through more emotional than before.

On their way back down they nicked one of the smaller Christmas-trees in the corridor as well, and at the elevator Kitty and Jubilee needed help with the huge bags of presents…

_ _ _ _ _

Down in their room John had problem sitting still; the fact that he'd been almost dead less than 24 hours ago hadn't changed his happy Christmas-spirit the least. Warren had problems as well, mostly with talking. It isn't an easy task when you try to suppress laughter and at the same time have the source of it next to you, blaming one thing after another for him being asleep for weeks and missing all the things he'd looked forward to, and mix that with admiration of the decorations hanging all over the place (the Angel might have been the only child most of his life, but he could swear on that John was worse that any child, no matter what age). Warrens attempts to calm him down with;

"It's once every year, you'll have tons of Christmases after this one."

"You woke up on Christmas Eve so technically you didn't really miss it."

"They've at least tried to make it as good as it can be down here!"

"I'm sure we can go outside soon enough, so you won't miss the snow."

"Bobby knows you good enough to bring ginger cookies, I'm sure of it."

"You always complained about having all the kids around during the holiday, now you're free of them!"

"If you continue like that I'll tell Piotr not to give you my present!"

To tell the truth it was only the last one that got through to John, and in the middle of his ranting about not having a Christmas tree he dropped dead on the floor.

For a moment they just looked at each other, then both stared again;

"You actually got me a present?!"

"Now get back to bed before you get sick!"

Another moment of silence, which Warren (by some unknown power) was the first one to break;

"Yes, I did… but Piotr has it…I sort of forgot it until now…"

John just continued to stare.

"What?"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Why are you looking at…?"

"How the hell could you get me a Christmas present? We've been together all the time since we met!"

"Well…I…"

"If you didn't got when you though I would die, which would be outright stupid…"

Warren just shook his head and smiled; Piotr and he had agreed that he (Piotr) would help the Angel, since Warren couldn't figure out what to get. So when the big Russian had been out to get "the last stuff" as he called it he kept an eye out for something that Warren could get. And he found it! Through the simple way of getting it by mail and paying for it over internet Warren could then get something that they then hid in Piotr's room (since John spent more time in Warren's room than in his own and might find it). He knew Piotr would bring it along when they came down, and now he just hoped John would like it…

Said mutant had of course started nagging Warren about telling him what he had got for him, and Warren made a point of shutting up and closing his eyes.

But when John fell silent for more than ten seconds Warren couldn't help but to open one eye to look at him, only to discover that Pyro, who somehow seem to find it both funny and annoying that Warren was so good at resisting his puppy-eyes, now was close to push him of the bed to get the Angel to talk to him (the Angel himself wondered slightly how the Pyro could get on a sugar rush in a hospital). To make him shut up Warren put on a snobbish face and said;

"Thanks to my father I have contacts, and I know how to use them to get what I want!"

John fell into silence for about 2 seconds;

"What, is your father a lawyer or something?"

Now it was Warren's turn to stare;

"You don't know?"

John shook his head.

"But…I thought…my name and all…"

Now John remembered, there was something familiar with Warren's name, at least his last name. And Warren had thought John would recognise it right away…but what could it be?

* * *

_Not much left at least..._


	30. Undead people and a Christmas tree

_So, now I'm just going to have some fun while writing the last stuff... (and I'll probably be sick from eating too many gingercookies, but who cares ;) they taste good!)_

* * *

On the upper floors a small group of four mutant teenagers were for the moment struggling with to fit themselves, a Christmas tree, three huge trays of food they had nicked in the kitchen, and about four of bags with nicely wrapped presents into an elevator. They were failing quite miserably.

In the end Piotr gave up;

"You girls go ahead with the presents and the food; we'll have to wait here with the tree."

Realising he probably had a point they pushed the tree out again, put it next to the elevator and brushed the green nails off of their clothes as the doors closed.

_________

Down in his office the Professor was suddenly hit by a very unpleasant discover, as he checked through the mansion for any trouble or sadness among the students; Warren's mind were still down in the room where they had put him and John, but Jean had said she had "finished the Pyro off"… Why was the young Worthington down there now?

Doing a quick scanning of the mansion he found Jean, sulking over a glass of sherry (about half of the present she'd hoped she'd get was for that Mystique-bitch!), and the Professor couldn't help but t chuckle when she yelled at him for making her drop her drink, right into her lap!

He then outright asked her if she'd made sure that Warren wasn't in the room when she "killed" John. Her silence spoke for itself.

Making sure she knew exactly what to expect from him the next time they were face to face the Professor turned his mind to get down to his young student, and to bring him up here so he wouldn't do anything irrational…

However, when he started to sense the minds of people down there, he found two of them. Curious as a child he decided to watch just at the edges of their souls.

That gave him a shock (that some might say he deserved)!

Someone that was supposed to be dead wasn't! So, Jean didn't even check such a thing…

Sighting, he placed his head in his palm. There was no doubt that somehow this Christmas everything was so twisted around that someone who tried to keep a check on everything (like Charles Xavier did) would get a headache like never before…

________

Waiting with the tree Bobby and Piotr tried to ignore all the odd looks they were given by all the students who were now making their way down to the dining-hall for the dinner.

When the elevator finally came back up they quickly got the green sticky thing into it again, trying not to step on the broken balls that had fallen out of it the last time they tried to get it into the tiny space…

Suddenly a familiar voice made them both freeze in their "work";

"Just what are you two up to?"

And when they looked over their shoulders they saw Scott Summers stand there with his arms crossed…

________

Down in "their" room John was going between nagging Warren to tell him who his father was, singing Christmas songs to irritate him, or try to find out what he would get in his present. Warren quite soon grew tired on this and pulled the covers over his head to snooze a bit before the others got back.

As if John would let him…

Deciding that the nagging had to be brought to another level Pyro climbed up in the bed and pulled the covers off his friend. Then he froze…

Looking down at the Angel like this was…was…

Warren in turn was just as confused; he was trapped, but didn't really mind. What did bother him though was John's intense way of looking at him. It made him squirm a bit…

John could see that Warren was a bit uncomfortable, but he just couldn't tear his eyes away; the light of the room gave the other boys already pale hair an even lighter tone. During the time at the mansion he hadn't cut it either, so it was long enough to pool out beneath his head, and to entangle in itself to make it stand out from his head, the small strands catching the light creating a halo. The face, pale after the autumn's cold and from being inside for so long time, was looking up at him with big, blue eyes; as innocent as anyone ever could become…

The young Worthington didn't really know what to do with himself; John was sitting on top of him and he couldn't really find anything else to lock his gaze on. But if he started to look at the Pyro he knew that he was going to blush! He tried to keep his mind steady and look at the decorations, but none of them were that interesting…

Then suddenly Warren could feel a hot breath on his face, and without wanting it his eyes darted to the face that now was centimetres from his own…

John, in turn, couldn't say that he really was happy with the surprised and almost scared face that the Angel made.

"What? You don't want this?"

He had to ask, he just had to know!

But before Warren could answer they could hear girly voices and high laugh coming in from the corridor. Sparing his friend of the embarrassment of being found like this John sat back, allowing Warren to get his legs free and sit up.

They looked at each other, and John had time to notice the cutest blush he'd ever seen, before Warren looked away.

Warren himself could only master to hold back any evidence of the disappointment he felt.

Just then Jubilee and Kitty stumbled in with the food-trays. Without waiting for questions the dumped it all on Warrens unoccupied bed and ran back out in the corridor.

* * *

_Celibrations are getting started... (I probably should do something to prepare for it myself, but it's always funnier to do something else than what you should...)_


End file.
